Against The Wall
by edana.azu
Summary: (Sequel of The Perfect Love Affair) Asami and Akihito were drifting apart. Their children were facing issues of their own. Enemies were just around the corner. And someone wanted to bring Asami down. They did everything they could to save their little family. But there were just too many dirty secrets. And not enough trust.
1. Chapter 1 Drifting Apart

**Hi,**

**Here comes the sequel!**

**Depending on the response, this story might become a very short story. I am not sure how many people will want to read about the Asamis and their twisted lives. And I don't want to bore you all to early death.**

**Anyway, the first chapter is a long. I planned it to become two chapters (an epilogue and a prologue). But as always, I changed my mind at the last minute. - _ -" **

**Enjoy and feel free to let me know your feedback, both good and bad! Whatever it is, I will love to hear from you.**

**Cheers, ****Edana**

* * *

**Against The Wall (Sequel of The Perfect Love Affair)**

**Chapter 1.**** Drifting Apart**

**Part 1. His Marriage Issues**

It was past midnight in Tokyo. Asami Ryuichi sat in one of his newest and most exclusive club, The Haven, enjoying the full view from the privacy of the VVIP room.

There were a few top notch clubs in Tokyo, but The Haven was in a class unto itself. Its selling point wasn't the plush interior, designed by a famous international designer, nor its high-quality liquors that was imported from various countries. No. Those were just cherries on the top. What The Haven sold to its customer was prestige. The club management was very selective of their members, only accepting top elites of society. It made The Haven the hottest club in Tokyo and just being able to be here would give more social standing than sleeping with the prime minister himself. Or so these people thought. Asami had no problem to encourage that illusion.

The VVIP room itself was located on the second floor. It had one-way floor-to-ceiling window that allowed Asami to observe the crowd below without being seen. At this hour on friday night, patrons, mostly the rich and famous, had filled the spacious establishment, showing off their importance and influence while trying to catch the attention of someone even wealthier and more powerful. If they were lucky, they might get a benefactor who was willing to support their career. Whether it was as a sugar daddy/mama or a business partner, it wouldn't really matter.

Staring grimly at the patrons drinking and dancing their night away, Asami took his time sipping his scotch, savouring the complex flavour of malt and smoke on his tongue. He didn't usually drink this much. Asami preferred to be able to think clearly all the time, which was why he kept a tight control to his drinking habit. In his line of work, one's blurry mind could be the cause of one's death and Asami didn't have any plan to stop living yet. Tonight, however, he made an exception.

His day hadn't gone as planned. In fact, it had been one disaster after another. As if the headaches given by Takamiya Group hadn't been enough, his family had added another problem on top of that. Asami loved his family like nothing else in this world. Shit, he would do anything, would even gladly die, for them. He believed he had done quite a good job providing and protecting his family for the last 15 years. So, couldn't they give him a break? Was it too much to ask his obstinate husband to not do stupid things that might compromise their safety?! Hadn't Akihito learnt from previous experience?! And how could his children keep Akihito's act a secret from him? Just when he thought he'd drilled the importance of obeying his every command into the twins' brains, they had betrayed his trust like this.

Akihito was angry, Asami knew it. But apologising was never Asami's style, neither was begging for forgiveness. Fucking Akihito until his husband couldn't differentiate up from down sounded more like Asami. Problem was, he had no idea where his husband was. And so far, Kirishima couldn't find Akihito. Well, at least their children were safe with Akihito's parents. Shit, what if Akihito had run away, again? What if Asami couldn't find him for good this time? Asami hated feeling clueless like this. It made him feel weak. And he forbade himself to be anything but the strongest.

_Perhaps, it is time to implant a tracking chip in Akihito's body_, he thought angrily. The problem was how to do that without Akihito finding out. Akihito was getting better at detecting Asami's attempt to omit or twist the truth. More than a decade of marriage meant they knew each other way too well. So far Asami had managed to keep the extend of his entire business a secret from Akihito, thanks to Akihito's persistence to stay away from Asami's business. However, it was getting more and more difficult.

He scoffed in anger, deep down inside hoping that somehow the day had gone differently and he was with his family instead of sitting here alone. But maybe it would do him some good to stay away from Akihito and the kids for a while. Sometimes, his family could be so overwhelming. Asami was tired of obligation, responsibility, and burden. God knew a man needed some space to breath.

Shutting his amber eyes, Asami tried to calm himself. Fuck his family. He would enjoy his evening and let everything else that stood in his way be damned.

"Asami-sama," a familiar voice from behind took his attention.

"Shut up, Tao," he calmly replied without opening his eyes. "Just shut the fuck up or I would send you pieces by pieces back to your father."

Tao shrugged, obviously thinking that Asami needed help with his marriage issue. Or his anger management issue. Or both. But after years working for him, Tao knew better than disobeying his direct order. Asami didn't give idle threat and he wouldn't start now.

He had made the right decision when he had taken Tao under his wings. Tao had grown into such a fine young man. The younger man had doubled Asami's profit every year and expanded the business. Asami actually felt proud of Tao as if Liu Feilong's son was his own. When Tao took over his father's organisation next year, Asami would give the young man some of his own routes, a small token of appreciation for Tao's absolute loyalty and flawless service for the past decade.

"Do you want me to-"

"No," he cut Tao's offer off. He didn't know what Tao wanted to offer actually. But he didn't care. "Leave."

There was a long silence and an even longer hesitation. But in the end, the younger man backed down, knowing that once his boss decided on something, no one could change Asami's mind.

"Then, I wish you a pleasant night, Asami-sama" Tao excused himself.

Asami didn't need to look over his shoulder to know that Tao's face had to be void of all emotion as the younger man walked out of the VVIP room. He had noticed long time ago that Tao kept his expression stoic whenever the young man disagreed with Asami's decision, something that had only happened a few times, usually when the issue involved Akihito. Tao's footsteps grew fainter and Asami turned his attention back to the people below.

That was when he saw a young man pushing through the crowd below. He didn't usually pay attention to the patrons of his establishment. But the hair colour had caught his eyes right away. It was light brown colour, almost blond. The body was lean with the right amount of muscles, just the way Asami liked it. Looking sexy in tight black shirt and dark blue jeans that showed off his round ass, the handsome young man walked towards the bar.

Quite a number of men and women stared seductively at the intriguing young man who now sat calmly waiting for his drink to be delivered. It stirred Asami's desire when he saw that the young man arrogantly ignored all the flirting directed his way.

Being in a stable relationship for more than a decade, it had been a very long time since the last time Asami had needed to seduce his bed partner. The predator in him growled excitedly at this unexpected challenge. He didn't realise up until now how much he missed playing this game.

Suoh moved to follow him as he walked downstairs, but Asami quickly gave a signal indicating that he wanted to be alone.

"Sir? With Takamiya group getting much more aggressive lately, I don't think it is wise to-"

"Suoh, I'll be fine. Or were you implying that I am too old to protect myself?" he snapped in irritation, having enough of everyone telling him what to do and not to do.

Suoh was shock at the sudden reprimand. Quickly, the giant lowered his gaze, looking at the floor instead of Asami's bright golden eyes as a sign of submission. "No, of course not, Asami-sama. I didn't mean anything like that. You are far from old nor weak."

"Good. Give me the car keys. I will drive home myself. You can go. I give you an early leave today."

"I beg your pardon, Asami-sama? You drank quite a lot. It is not safe-"

God, was today the national disobedience day? Because if it was, Asami definitely didn't receive the memo.

"Give. Me. The. Keys. Suoh."

His trusted man was dumbfounded. Suoh clearly didn't want to let him drive, but was too well-trained to disobey him. Absentmindedly, Suoh passed the car keys.

"I want to be alone tonight. No one will follow me in any way, do you understand?"

"Asami-sama, the Takamiya Group-"

His patience grew thinner with every word he said. Trusted man or not, he would throw Suoh out of the window if the giant gave him one more argument. "No. One. Understand?"

Suoh looked unsure, but finally he bowed and answered, "I understand, Asami-sama. I will tell the others."

Thank god, because Asami would hate to kill one of his best man and it would be troublesome to make up some alibis with Takamiya sniffing around for his weakness.

"Good. Leave."

His quarrel with Akihito today was messy enough. He didn't need Suoh to make everything more complicated by blabbering unnecessary things to Akihito later. The fewer people who knew about his little affair tonight, the better. If he played his cards carefully, he might be able to get some fucking without having to fight with Akihito.

Making a decision made him feel better already. This was how he should be: strong, confident, and in control. Not being tossed around by his bratty demanding husband. With a smirk on his godlike face, Asami strode leisurely through the crowd.

It was time to greet his prey.

* * *

"Your first time here?" Asami casually asked.

The young man looked surprised. Slowly but purposely, Asami moved closer, invading the man's personal space and practically trapping the beautiful young man between Asami's stronger body and the counter.

"No, but this is my first time coming here alone," the reply came after a while.

He gave the young man a charming smile. "It must be my lucky day, then."

To his amusement, his target didn't get flustered. The man just stared at him defiantly. Those hazel orbs were cold, assessing Asami's every word and action.

"Ah, please forgive my rudeness. My name is-"

"-Asami Ryuichi. Everyone knows who you are," the young man interrupted his introduction. "You are the owner of this place and the entire Japan. Perhaps also the whole fucking world. Who knows?" His prey shrugged along with the question as if Asami was a mystery that was never meant to be solved.

Asami made a slow and arrogant smile at the recognition. "Well, I guess that summarised all about me. And may I have the honour to know your name?"

The interesting creature in front of him gave him a deviant smile in return, one that made Asami holding his breath in anticipation. It made the younger man look even sexier, if that was even possible. Merciful god, maybe Asami was truly lucky tonight.

The man stood up, then leaning over towards him, their lips almost touching each other's. The man smelled like fresh cold air in winter combined with a hint of something sweet. "There is no need for you to know my name, Asami Ryuichi. I am married and I know that you are too. We won't have anything to do with each other tonight."

The young man's voice was sharp, yet it sounded like an invitation to Asami's ears. He wanted to hear more of it, preferably moaning and screaming his name in bed. The image of this young man, naked, helpless, and struggling in vain to fight him, had awoken his inner beast. If his prey thought that mentioning a spouse would ward him off, the little pretty thing would get a surprise. Nothing would stop Asami from fucking him tonight.

"Married? And where is that lucky person? This person must be an idiot to let a sexy guy like you walking here alone. These poor men and women are attracted to you like moth to flames. One of them may take you away tonight and nothing that person can do to get you back."

The sweet face in front of him turned into a frown. "I won't argue with you there. My spouse is indeed an idiot. In fact, I am considering a divorce at the moment."

Asami tilted his head, pretending to show some sympathy, which of course, he didn't have at all. "I can't imagine anyone stupid enough to ever let you go. If it were me, I would do anything in my power to keep you mine."

The man didn't answer, looking at him in suspicion instead.

Asami's lips curled upward, creating a smile that had won him celebrities, models, and even royals. "Please, let me buy you a drink. A drink and a good company will fix everything."

* * *

To Asami's surprise, his companion drank in a very controlled pace. Quietly, Asami observed the fascinating creature in front of him. Asami noticed a dark bruise, slightly concealed by blond hair, covering the man's left cheek, near the ear. It was obviously the reason for the man's grudge towards the absent spouse. Every time the man sipped his drink, he would wince in pain, his hand automatically touching that purplish spot near his ear. And each time it happened, Asami would gritted his teeth in anger.

The man looked to be closer to early thirties. Or perhaps the man just looked younger than his actual age. Maybe it was because of the way those hazel eyes lit in fire that reminded Asami of his first meeting with Akihito; eyes that refused to bend a knee for anyone. The crime lord couldn't remember when was the last time he took his time to look at Akihito in the eyes, too busy taking care of his business and protecting his family. He realised now how much he missed spending time with his Akihito.

They talked about everything and nothing in the same time, jumping from one topic to the other in fluidity. His companion was very interesting, knowing a lot about politics, economy, and tons of other things. The young man even knew a bit about his issue with Takamiya group, which troubled Asami greatly. But he quickly dismissed the thought. He would handle that later after he had his fun.

Their knees met each other's below the bar table. Asami's hand slowly moved to rest on the man's lower back. Occasionally, he leaned down to whisper sweet nothings near the man's ear. Whenever his companion glared at him in suspicion, Asami would smiled innocently, pretending he didn't know what had set the frown in that pretty face. Besides, no matter how deadly the glare that was sent his way, the younger man didn't push him away. Instead, it seemed that the man secretly enjoyed Asami's attention though he tried to hide it.

Nearing 3AM, his companion started to lean towards him, obviously weary and ready to end the night.

"You look tired," Asami commented, boldly caressing the blond locks as the man rested on his arm.

The man looked up at him, knowing exactly what Asami had suggested. But he didn't move from his position against Asami's shoulder. Asami took it as a positive sign. Slowly, Asami's fingers moved from the ear, carefully avoiding the bruise, to the cheek and kept trailing an invisible path to those full lips.

"It is just a bit too noisy here. And too many people," the young man replied calmly, his eyes fluttering closed as Asami's finger traced his bottom lips. Asami pushed his finger inside and smirked when the younger man bit it playfully, finally deciding to play along with Asami's game.

"I see. Let me bring you to a quieter place? We will have more privacy there," he said. His other hand lazily stroked the man's lower back, making circle patterns closer to the ass cheeks.

His prey tilted his head, considering Asami's offer.

"Sure. Why not?"

* * *

**Part 2. The Predator and Its Prey**

"What is this?"

The question amused him and Asami almost laughed at the young man's obvious surprise. Almost. Keeping his face straight, he pretended ignorance. "This? This is my BMW. Latest one. Don't you like it?"

Without waiting for any answer, he took the keys from his pocket and strode towards the driver side. But his one-night stand man quickly grabbed his arm, scowling.

"I know this is a BMW. I am not stupid. What I meant is, shouldn't Asami Ryuichi have someone to drive him around? Where is your driver, assistant, secretary and whatever other slaves you have?"

He smirked while listening to the expected question.

"Why? You won't be satisfied with just me? Should I call someone else to join our little affair? I don't mind a threesome. That can be quite refreshing."

The keys were quickly taken from his hand. "Then, I am driving."

"Excuse me?"

Pushing Asami aside to enter the car, the man explained, "I know you drank quite a lot tonight, Asami-san. I can smell it in your breath. There is no way I will let you drive. Now, move. Get inside."

Asami stood there, stunned. Was he being ordered around just now?

"I don't usually trust a stranger to drive me anywhere," he said icily.

The young man had got inside and now he looked at Asami from the driver seat. "Well, too bad. I don't trust a drunk man to drive me anywhere. Ever. If you don't let me drive, then let's call everything off. It won't be funny to get into accident just for a one night stand."

Glaring at the insolent man, Asami considered his options. The young man was serious about his threat. Taking a cab was unacceptable for him. Well, he could just rape the man right there. But he didn't need any more trouble at the moment. If Asami wanted to get some fucking tonight, he didn't have any other choice but to give in.

"Fine," he agreed halfheartedly.

After giving the name of the hotel, Asami put his seatbelt on, holding his breath as the car started moving. Thankfully, the man manoeuvred quite skilfully. Otherwise, Asami didn't think he could sit still in the passenger seat, giving the younger man control over his car. And more importantly, over their lives.

"Relax. I have a valid driving license, you know. It is rude that you look so afraid about me driving. Trust me a bit."

"Well, I am trusting you right now, am I not? Now stop talking and focus on the road," he grumbled uncharacteristically.

Cursing silently when he noticed that the young man dared to steal a glance at him while driving, Asami felt grateful that the hotel he had picked was just a few minutes away. Surely they could survive a few minutes drive. Right?

* * *

It hadn't taken long to get a room in the 5 stars hotel even though the hotel was not his. The manager had recognised Asami right away. After enduring a lot of fake politeness and ass licking, Asami'd managed to get the idiot moving to provide his room keys. There had been confusion when he had refused their presidential suite and asked for a modest deluxe room instead. But with a simple frown in his face, the matter had been settled immediately.

"So, do you often invite a stranger to warm your bed behind your husband's back like this?" His companion asked casually while waiting for the lift to bring them to the 6th floor.

"Officially, this is not my bed," Asami replied while blatantly staring at the man's body, undressing his prey from head to toes. "But the answer is never."

The man squirmed under his lusty gaze but snorted nonchalantly in disbelief.

The lift door stopped their conversation with a gentle ding sound. They walked outside and the younger man stilled when he realised that this wasn't the floor for the most expensive suites.

"You were planning to drive your car yourself. There is no one following you around. You bring me to a hotel that is not yours. And now we are going to stay in a common deluxe room? Are you really Asami Ryuichi? Have you declared bankruptcy or something?" his companion inquired. But the amusement dancing in the younger man's eyes softened the mocking words.

"I have my own reason," Asami answered succinctly, walking towards their hotel room with the man following closely behind.

"Reason, such as?" his companion pushed in curiosity.

Asami slide the access card to open the door. Tossing his shoes aside, he observed the room. Asami had stayed in an unthinkable place when he was young. So, unlike what everyone -including his own husband- thought about him, essentially he was not picky. The room was fine, in his opinion, simple but clean. It was nothing like the suite, but the suite would cost him more than a million yen per night while this one would only cost him one tenth of that price, so he couldn't really complain. Beside, the room still had a king size bed and the bed was all that matter for him tonight.

"We are here to fuck, not to enjoy the room," he explained emotionlessly. "And definitely not to chat."

Asami turned his attention back to his now silent companion.

The young man didn't look happy with his answer. But he ignored the pouting, walking straight to the comfortable chair at the corner of the room. Slowly, he removed his suite jacket and rolled up his sleeves then sat, his eyes never straying from the obviously irritated man.

"Stop sulking," he gestured for the young man to move closer. "We want to have fun tonight and that we will do. There will be no heart broken, no argument, no attachment; none of the burdens that weighing down on those who are in a relationship. We can forget our little affair tomorrow if we want. But for now, let's enjoy our time together."

When the man took Asami's offering hand hesitantly, Asami pulled him down, causing a shock gasp as the man fell into his embrace. With one efficient movement, Asami positioned his partner in his lap and devoured those lips that had tempted him for hours. It was not a gentle kiss, more like a punishing one: cold and brutal. Forcefully, he thrusted his tongue deep inside, claiming the warm space as his own even if it was just for tonight, even if tomorrow they would go their separate ways.

Annoyed for being manhandled, his companion struggled for a while, fighting against the unexpected invasion. But soon, the younger man melted to Asami's darkest desire, pushing back into his kiss with the same desperation as Asami's. Their tongue fought for dominance, teeth clashing, and the taste of this man overwhelmed Asami, reminding him of a feeling that he had started to forget.

"Strip," Asami ordered.

The man raised an eyebrow deviantly at Asami.

"You think you control everything, do you?"

Amused, Asami asked back, "What makes you think that I don't?"

The man looked at him, appraising Asami carefully, but said nothing in reply. Instead, his companion pulled away, taking a few steps behind so that he stood in front of Asami; quite near for Asami to be able to see every expression clearly yet far enough that Asami couldn't reach him from his position. The man brushed his finger on his own chest seductively, trailing his way down to the bulging arousal between his legs, his eyes observing Asami's every reaction.

It surprised Asami that he couldn't take his eyes away from those long fingers and for some unknown reasons, he sat still, even though his predatory instinct screaming at him to jump, grab that amazing creature in front of him, leash the man to Asami's bed, and fuck him six ways to sunday.

Making sure Asami following his every movement, the man stroked his erection through the thick layers of clothes. The blond man rocked his hips in rhythm, closing his eyes and moaning silently, lost in self pleasure.

Aroused, Asami swallowed. It was not loud. In fact, Asami believed that he didn't make any sound at all. But the man obviously noticed the subtle reaction, because the next time Asami was aware of his surrounding, he found the man staring at him, a knowing smile hanging on those full lips.

"You know, Asami-san…for a man who claimed that he controls everything, you don't look so convincing."

Asami had no answer to that. So he stayed silent, eyes tracking the man's every movement.

Slowly, the man opened his jeans, then unzipped it, making a dramatic show out of the simple and innocent act. A tight black brief peeked from his waistband, displaying a preview of a very attracting package underneath. The man's jeans now hanged low on his hips. It wouldn't take much effort to pull it down the entire way. But his companion clearly wanted to tease Asami.

_Well, it might be refreshing to let this pretty thing had his way with me_, Asami thought. He didn't usually do this, preferring to lead because trusting someone with his sexual pleasure meant that he needed to show his vulnerable side. But he had already made an exception today. Another harmless exception wouldn't make much difference.

As if knowing the debate in Asami's head, the man snickered, "Relax. Don't tell me the great Asami Ryuichi is scared to lose a bit of control? You act like a little girl crying over a storm. I mean, I know you might not be able to get it up considering you age-"

"Fine. Impress me," he cut the blabbering off.

So, relax he did. Leaning into the leather sofa, a perfect picture of someone who was used to everyone obeying his command instead of the other way around, Asami rested his head as he decided to enjoy the show.

The man grinned in excitement. "Stay still unless I tell you otherwise," he ordered in a soothing voice as if he was afraid Asami would change his mind.

Well, staying still didn't sound too difficult. Asami had gone through some very painful tortures while staying completely still and silent when he was much younger. So, he nodded, wordlessly agreeing the term.

The man brushed his fingers across his stomach, purposely pulling his shirt up and showing off his abs and chest. Asami stared as if in trance as the man played with his own nipples, moaning with every pull and twist until the nubs stood erect, then taking his shirt completely off in an unhurried pace.

The jeans came off next. The man literally took his time taking it off, enjoying the way Asami held his breath as inch by inch of that creamy skin came into view. A tented brief covering a hard cock stole his attention right away, wet spot already covering the front, a telltale sign of the man's excitement. The top of the cock peeked from the tight underwear and it dripped with precum. The man caress the bulging head softly, sighing as he trembled from the ghostly touch.

"Asami-san," the man whispered Asami's name with a longing look on his face.

Gritting his teeth, Asami gripped the armrests. It was getting harder to sit back instead of grabbing the man, ripping that stupid underwear and plunging his own shaft into that warm body. This was completely different from what Asami usually did. It wasn't hard and fast, yet it was dangerously arousing. The man allured him like a spider waiting for its prey to fell into its spiderweb and Asami gladly walked into the trap.

Who was the predator and who was the prey; Asami didn't know anymore. It wasn't important. His world narrowed down into this single man and the only thing that mattered now was the sensual creature in front of him.

His companion strode towards him. The man kneeled between Asami's legs, fingers groping Asami's inner thighs and granite-hard erection, then leisurely unzipped Asami's pants, taking Asami's erection out of the confinement of his underwear. His cock stood proudly, free for the man to enjoy. Sitting still, Asami watched in fascination as the man kissed the head of his cock, enchanted by the way the man nuzzling into Asami's most private parts to inhale his masculine scent.

"Heaven, you are huge," his companion commented, hazel eyes full of desire.

He smirked at the compliment. Remembering a story he had read for his children years ago, something about a hooded girl and a wolf, he answered, "All the better to do you with, my dear."

Knowing what Asami had referred to, the man rolled his eyes.

"You know, that story ended with the wolf dead, being cut open in the stomach by the good huntsman," the younger man replied dryly.

Asami shrugged dramatically. "There were a few version of those stories. Some original versions involve the girl being raped by the wolf, over and over again until she died. And the wolf lived happily ever after."

"You didn't read those raping version for your kids, right?" the man narrowed those hazel eyes at him.

"My kids are the least of your concern right now," he feigned an innocent smile.

Glaring dagger at Asami, the man squeezed Asami's balls before taking Asami's cock into the warmth of his mouth, using his tongue skilfully to caress Asami's entire length. In response, Asami pushed his head back into the headrest, shutting his eyes and silently breathing as much fresh air as he could to control himself. Now, he started to hope his hands was restrained because otherwise it would be a complete torture to keep his hands still. He had been way too busy for sex lately so he didn't think he could last very long. The maddening arousal began to feel like pain. But damn, he wanted to extend this feeling for as long as possible.

Swallowing Asami's thick shaft, the man hummed softly, creating a very nice vibration that massaged the bulging head of Asami's cock. Pleasure shot from Asami's lower back, all the way along his spine, and he made a sudden jerk, unintentionally pushing himself deeper into the man's throat. The man gagged for a brief second before relaxing his throat and accepting Asami's entire length.

Petting Asami's thigh as a warning, the man looked up, brown eyes meeting golden ones as the man palmed Asami's balls to the point where it hurt. Asami groaned from pain. Asami knew it was a punishment because he had moved. But when he opened his mouth to protest, the man started to move, sliding Asami's cock in and out in a slow pace while paying attention to every inch of it with his tongue.

The sensation was incredible and impossible to describe. Asami gripped the armrests tighter, his skin grew pale from concentrating on holding back his arousal. Every muscles in his body tightened in an effort to sit still. His breathing grew heavier with every second passed. It squeezed every ounce of Asami's strength to not moving and continue playing along with this game.

Releasing Asami's cock, the man chuckled. "That good, huh?"

Shutting his eyes closed so hard that it bordered pain, Asami pretended not to be affected. "Not bad," he said in a calm tone instead, barely managed to keep his voice even.

The man raised his brow, apparently recognising Asami's blatant lie, but decided to let it go for now. Leisurely, he straddled Asami, towering above Asami with deliberate movement. He bowed and licked Asami's nipple before moving to the other one, his hand caressing Asami's muscular chest hungrily. Then, when Asami was expecting it the least, the man ground his ass into Asami's cock, hard, and Asami stopped breathing. Literally.

Shit.

Cumming now after his arrogant remark would be way too embarrassing. Asami tried to think about something else, something that would distract him from this slow yet deadly torture. He thought about the financial report Kirishima had passed him yesterday morning.

…_a significant increase in financial position…_

Another pressure on his cock made him gasp.

…_including better descriptions of business models, strategies, risks and underlying drivers and reason for the entity's financial performance__…_

The man continued to grind Asami's erection, swaying his hips seductively, and Asami's brain instinctively switched to the image of his rival, the ugly Takamiya Daisuke, naked with that disgusting belly fat hanging around the waistline, hoping the mental picture can save him from humiliation.

And it worked. The pressure in his groin slightly lessened. It was easier to control his breathing.

But before Asami released a relief breath, the man trailed his finger on Asami's bottom lips before giving him one of the most passionate kiss in Asami's life. It was deep, hungry and primal. The kiss screamed of the younger man's desire to claim him, to make Asami as his own, and for that short while, Asami let go of his control freak tendency, leaving the man in his arms to lead the pace. The only thing that stopped the kiss was the need for air and still, as his lungs screamed in protest, Asami was reluctant to let go.

"Use your fingers to prepare me. I am going to ride you, Asami-san," the man commanded.

Something in that soft command combined with the way the man called his name made Asami's cock hardened more, if that was even possible. Finally lifting his hands from the armrests, Asami pulled the man's underwear down, freeing the hard cock inside. He pushed his fingers into the man's mouth, silently telling the man to coat it with saliva in a not so gentle way. When he was sure that it was wet enough so that it wouldn't hurt the man, Asami spread the ass cheeks apart, exposing the man's most vulnerable part. Knowing what Asami was going to do, the younger man moved slightly, spreading his legs wider in Asami's lap to give more room for Asami's finger to enter the tight channel. Purposely, Asami slide his forefinger in, inch by inch, enjoying the way his companion shivered in his arms.

His finger brushed that sweet spot hidden deep inside. The man threw his head back as Asami teased him slowly, the lean body in his arms arching into a full bow. The hands on Asami's shoulder held onto him in bruising grips.

"Asami-san," the man chanted his name as if it was a mantra.

"Bed," Asami growled, his voice was thick with lust.

They kissed even as they scrambled into bed, hands touching everywhere until no one knew whose was on where. The man pushed Asami down so that Asami lay on his back then moved to position himself on top of Asami, Asami's cock teasing his entrance.

Obviously, his partner thought that the preparation was not enough because the man shoved his own fingers in an attempt to relax his ring muscle for Asami's cock, his eyes watching Asami demurely as he rocked his hips in rhythm.

Asami frowned. Did they really need this much of preparation? He couldn't hold himself back for much longer and he wanted to fill the man with his seeds. To do that they needed to move to the main event soon.

Understanding his confusion, the man explained, "We need to do it slow, okay? I haven't done this in a long time. And..." An unexpected blush. "... you are huge."

The request stilled him. The thought came before he could stop it, _'A long time? It has to be a lie. It is not even possible._'

To make his point, the man carefully pushed himself onto Asami's cock. Asami felt the man's muscles fighting against the sudden invasion before the man stopped, moving away to finger himself more, oblivious to Asami's shock and then fury. Asami could see the truth in the tightness of the man's entrance, in the way the man's muscle clenching around just the tip of his cock. And the truth angered him. Fuck, he swore by all the mighty gods, he had wanted to take this slow. But now? Now he just wanted to show this man how much Asami wanted him.

"No," he said through gritted teeth. "I am going to do you so damn hard that you will feel me inside for days."

That was the only warning the man had got before Asami gripped the man's hips and shoved his enormous cock inside in a single thrust. The man made a muffled scream. His companion fought for breath but he took it rather well.

_Oh, his man likes a bit of pain with pleasure, doesn't he? _

The idea aroused Asami like nothing else. He started thrusting until the man began to move together with him, impaling himself on Asami's cock as Asami pushed back up. It was rough and brutal, but also satisfying for Asami's wounded ego after Akihito had left him hours before. Their bodies made lewd noises as he shoved his cock balls-deep into the man. Instinctively, the man reached for him, asking for a kiss to sooth the burning pain. And Asami gladly claimed that plump mouth in the same rough way as how he claimed the man's tender body.

_Oh, god. I missed this feeling._

Asami shifted their position, rolling the man into kneeling on all fours and pushing the man's shoulders down. He was so on the edge that he didn't think he could do this for much longer. Tightening his grip on the man's waist, Asami rocked his hips in short, hard, jabbing thrusts, making the man go wild in need. His partner held onto the pillow for dear life, shouting incoherent words to make Asami move even faster. And he complied to the demanding request happily.

Then he hit that sweet spot deep inside and instantly, the man howled, forgetting their unsaid agreement for the night in the haze of pure lust as he screamed Asami's given name instead of the family name at the top of his lungs.

"Fuck, Ryu!"

Asami closed his eyes, his lips curved into a satisfied smile while basking in sweet little victory.

_Finally, Akihito_, he thought. _It is about time you call my name like that._

The beast in him purred with pride. With a growl, Asami shot his seeds deep into Akihito, enjoying the way Akihito's muscle clench around him as if the younger man wanted to eat him all up.

* * *

**Part 3. A Familiar Stranger**

It was out of sheer anger when I decided to play along with Asami's game. I didn't expect my husband to be in the club, thinking that he would be in his damn office like what he had usually done for the last few months. When he came to me, acting as if we were both strangers who didn't know each other, I was speechless for a while, thinking he had gone mad from too much working. But then, I thought, why not? It was easier to pretend to be strangers than to continue our fight.

Asami's next actions, however, totally confused me. He wanted to drive his own car. Suoh, Kirishima, and Haruka was nowhere to be seen. Lately, Asami always brought at least a dozen men with him, following him around doing nothing as if he was a king and they were his manservants. But tonight, none of them were with him. He also didn't bring me to his hotel as usual. And he didn't book us a goddamn suite as he usually did!

I wanted to ask him, _'What the fuck are you doing, Ryu__?__'_ and the question was already at the tip of my tongue. But the novelty of his actions tonight was indeed refreshing. We were too familiar with each other that these simple differences had made our impromptu affair exciting. It was as if we had just met each other and fell in love all over again.

I hated to admit it but I knew there was something wrong in our relationship for the past few years. Despite our undying passion and all, Asami and I were drifting apart. Asami was so busy with his work and I was so busy with my own freelance jobs and the children. I tried not to take too many projects nowadays, preferring to be near my family. But still, having two teenage boys and one almost teenage girl could be overwhelming. We didn't talk that much, had sex even less, and if things continued this way, we would just be two strangers sharing the same house.

It didn't help that Asami was rarely home. And when he was home, he didn't have any more energy left to notice everything that I did for our little family. We had fought more often than ever lately. The tension had pushed us into a breaking point and we had finally exploded tonight. Or yesterday night, to be exact, since it was already past midnight now.

* * *

_It was the twins' birthday and we always celebrated everyone__'__s birthday with a family dinner__. __However, Kirishima called to inform me that Asami would be a little bit late. I swallowed down my disappointment when I told Kirishima that it would be fine as long as Asami made it to our sons__'__ birthday dinner._

_The dinner went okay in the beginning. My sons and daughter were happy, laughing and bickering to each other without any hard feeling, a privilege that only siblings had__. _

_As usual, my parents brought a lot of presents. __I__ had told my parent that it might be time to treat the kids as teenagers instead of babies. My parents had never listened. But the kids didn't mind their grandparents doting on them. So all was good. No doubt the twins would wear those old fashioned sweaters, __personally __knitted__ by my mother for their birthday present, to school in pride. Well, the twins inherited Asami's good genes anyway. They would look good even if they wore filthy rags__._

_Nearing the end, I was so angry that I couldn't join the festive atmosphere anymore. Asami__'__s a-little-bit-late had turned into hours-late. After glancing at my watch for at least the thousandth time, I was sure everyone noticed my irritation. I forced a smile at them before looking at Haruka who stood patiently at the entrance, silently asking her whether Asami had arrived. She shook her head. _

_Sitting next to me, Nao put his hand around my shoulders affectionately, no doubt trying to calm me down. _

_"Father will come, dad. Stop worrying," he said._

_Sometimes, my children could act much more mature than their age. I ruffled his hair tenderly, hoping that I could keep them young forever yet knowing that it was impossible. Just like every other teenager, Nao quickly moved away before I completely ruined his newest hairstyle. I laughed at the expected reaction._

_We were already at the main entrance of the restaurant, ready to leave, when Asami finally, finally, arrived. My mother, along with the kids and almost everyone else in the restaurant, automatically bowed low to show their respect. My father had finally accepted Asami into the family a few years after we__'__d got married, but there was no way my father would bow down to anyone, especially my husband. Instead, he offered his hand and the two men shook hands in silent respect to each other. _

_Asami__ kissed our daughter on the cheek then ruffled the twins' black hair lovingly, muttering 'happy birthday' to his sons. The twins didn't move away even if their carefully styled hairs __were completely ruined by their father. I knew Asami did that intentionally, knowing that the boys respected him too much to defy him in any way. The twins admired their father as if Asami was the god who had created the whole fucking planet and they would do anything to please their father. It was Asami's exclusive privilege to tease his growing sons without having to face two sulking teenagers, something not even I could do. And Asami always exploited this privilege every time he got the chance. Tonight, however, it annoyed__ me__ beyond reason__._

_So__, when he finally came to me, pulling me into his embrace, I pushed him away violently, making him stumble in shock. His obvious surprise satisfied me to no end. Ignoring him, I quickly walked towards the exit._

_Asami caught up with me at the parking lot. He grabbed my arm in anger and I winced. I noticed that no one was following him, most probably giving us some space to talk. _

_"What was that about, Akihito?" he growled._

_"THAT was for coming terribly late and acting as if there was nothing wrong," I yelled back at him, poking his hard chest with my forefinger. "What were you doing actually, Ryu? You didn't come home for months! You didn't even call me for WEEKS! WEEKS, Ryu! Do you even notice that? It was always Kirishima who called or texted me! Otherwise, I wouldn't know where on earth you were__!__ And when I said where on earth, it wasn__'__t an exaggerated expression! One day you were in Cambodia, the next day you were in Italy, then in God knew where. I couldn't even keep track on you! Can__'__t you tell me what you were doing?! Can__'__t you trust me a bit?!__"_

_It was rare to see a stunned Asami. In another occasion, I would have laughed looking at his reaction. But at that time, I just stared at this man who had slowly became a stranger to me. Or perhaps we were always strangers from the beginning. Even until now, I didn't know much about Asami's past or his life before we had met or his business._

_Asami stood there without saying anything, his lips tightened into a thin line as he tried to control his temper. I broke free from his grip and took a few feet away from him. Tears already pooled at the corner of my eyes._

"_..enough,__"__ I __said quietly._

_"Excuse me?"_

"_I said, I__'__ve had enough! If you can__'__t trust me enough, what is the point of us staying together?!__"__ I spitted every word through gritted teeth._

_He frowned in irritation. "I don't understand what you are talking about, Akihito. Come on. Let's go home. This is a public place. We shouldn't discuss it here. I will tell Kirishima to bring the kids to your parent__'__s house. Then we can discuss your issue like two adults. Where is Soga__?"_

_"MY__ issue?!"_

_My husband sighed as if I was a petulant child who tested his patience. "Fine. __Our__ issue. Can we go now? I will call Kirishima to tell Soga to pick us here. Where is he anyway? He should be following you and the kids at all time.__"_

_Asami took his phone out of his pocket and started calling Kirishima._

"_I told Soga to stay at home. He __didn__'__t drive us here. I drove the kids here myself," I told him defiantly._

_Asami instantly stilled before he looked at me. His phone's screen changed and I could hear Kirishima's voice greeting him. But Asami ignored his secretary._

_"You WHAT?!" My husband practically roared at me._

_I s__mirked. "Well, while you were away doing whatever, I got my driving license," I bragged__. __"__I drive __the kids around for the last few __week__s. You can ask Soga or Haruka if you don't believe me."_

_Asami's face turned hard and suddenly I regretted bragging to him. Me and my stupid mouth! It wouldn't be only me who was in trouble. I had somehow managed to give the impression to Soga and Haruka that Asami had permitted me to drive the car by myself without anyone following. But of course, Asami didn't even know about me getting my driving license. Now, Soga and Haruka would be in much more trouble that I was. Strangely, instead of making me afraid, that thought__ just fuel__led my anger even more._

_"What?! Are you surprise that your husband can do something on his own without asking for your permission?! Well, maybe it is time to replace him with a newer version! Someone who will obey your every command like a stupid pretty doll!__"_

_"Careful, Akihito. I don't like being accused of something I didn't do." His emotionless tone showed his fury. I should know better than kept pushing him but I was too angry to care._

_"You don't like?! What about what I don't like? Do you ever think about that?!" I paused to take a quick breath. "Of course, you don't. It is always about you and your need. Talking about YOUR need, there is no way the great Asami Ryuichi can go for months without sex even if he is an old man now! Tell me. __Should I be worried about another baby or a crazy and jealous mistress?__"_

_"I told you I don't-"_

_I cut him off. "Just like what you did with that bitch Emi-"_

_The slap was quick yet painful. My left cheek burnt as if it was on fire and I could feel the sharp tang of blood inside my mouth. My heart, however, hurt more than my cheek__. _

_For the years we had been together, Asami had never hit me. Not even once. We had rough sex sometimes. But I had always enjoyed it as much as him. It was not the same as the pain he gave me now._

_Apparently, he was as shock as I was but too prideful to apologise. I snickered at my egoistic husband before I turned around and left him there. It was a good thing that I drove here. At least I could go whenever and wherever I wanted without asking for his bloody permission._

_Asami didn't even try to stop me. He just stood there, watching as I drove the car with tears streaming down my cheeks._

* * *

I rested my head on Asami's broad chest, listening to the sound of his steady heartbeats that always calmed me down. Asami stroke my back gently as we both lay in silence after our mind-blowing orgasm.

"So…where is Suoh or Kirishima or Tao?"

Asami answered sourly, "I told them not to follow me. It would be hard to act as a stranger if you could see one of them hovering over us. Besides, they wouldn't be able to act as if you were no one. Can you imagine Kirishima role-playing?"

I laughed. "No, I can't. Is that why you didn't bring me to your own hotel? You don't want to bring me to a place where your employees may recognise me?"

Asami didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Instead, he kept caressing me tenderly. The fact that he had thought about every detail tonight wasn't a really big deal. But somehow, it made me happy.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked after minutes of comfortable silence.

There was no way I could lie to him about this. So, I answered honestly, "It does hurt. You didn't hold back your blow."

I could hear the guilt in his voice when he said, "I didn't mean to hit you."

Not a word of sorry or regret. But that was just so Asami. If I wanted to get any apology, that sentence was the best I could get for now.

I let out a long sigh. "Well, I also shouldn't push you like that. Just promise me you won't do that again. If you ever hit me in anger again, we are over."

"I give you my word, Akihito," he told me as he kissed the top of my head. "It will never happen again."

I snuggled closer to get more of his warmth, closing my eyes to finally sleep in contentment. It was then when he teased me. "So, is it safe to assume that you will not divorce me…," he paused to glance at the clock. Noticing it was a new day already, he continued, "…today?"

Obviously, he remembered my threat back at the club. I snorted. Yeah right, as if I could file a divorce. Actually, our marriage was just a legal agreement that we had made with the help of Asami's most trusted lawyer. Basically, Asami had adopted me into his family. The twins and I had taken his family name more than ten years ago. So, yeah. I was Asami Akihito now.

"You bet I will if you don't shut up now, Ryu! We will talk more later, but now, I just want my beauty sleep!"

He chuckled and held me tight. Tangled, we both drifted to sleep, enjoying this short night when we were anything but strangers.


	2. Chapter 2 Clean Up Your Own Mess, Boys

**Hi all,**

**Just to let you know in advance, there will be a few chapters with titles that start with "Fatherhood 101". These chapters will tell a story about how Asami raised his kids (slightly abnormal, of course, so this is not a real tips and tricks). **

**Also, please don't bother with the numbering of the rule. The numbering is not in order because sometimes it is a rule that Asami had told the kids long time a go and he just reminded them again.**

**For those who wonders, Against The Wall took place 15 years after the twins were born.**

**Disclaimer : As usual, VF belongs to YA. **

* * *

"_When you work for the Asami family, you always have to be prepared for the unexpected.__" __-Kirishima Kei, during a training for new recruits_

**Chapter 2. Fatherhood 101 - Rule #25: Clean Up Your Own Mess, Boys**

12.30 PM

Tao was already sitting at our favourite table by the time I entered the high class cafe. I didn't like these kind of places, always felt a little out of place in it, but Tao would attract attention if we went to a normal coffee shop or restaurant. It was difficult to act as if we were just two normal guys wanting to have lunch together when his clothes and behaviour screamed wealth and power in capital letters.

Over the years, the small boy I'd met in Hong Kong years ago had outgrown me. Not only Tao was bigger now, but he was also taller than me by almost a head. He had this distinctive physiques that many people might consider as an ideal body shape: toned arms and thighs, broad shoulders, defined back, narrow waists, and a fucking six packs stomach which made me burn with jealousy. Not that I was fat or anything. Even at my age, my body was still lean and toned without any excessive body fat. Yet, standing beside men like Asami and Tao every day, one couldn't help but being conscious about their own body.

Today, Tao wore dark grey woollen suit on top of a light blue shirt, combined with navy silk tie. Every pieces of fabrics was meant to show off the masculinity of his body. Completed with graceful movement and perfect manner, Tao was the living image of someone who had a lot of power and money. It made him look incredibly sexy, but somehow also gave him an aura of danger, as if beneath that mask of perfectness, there was a beast lurking.

He didn't look up from the papers that he was reading when I sat in front of him, something that I was used to by now. We made it a rule to have lunch together at least once a week whenever he was in town. But more often than not, I would spend the first half an hour enjoying my lunch alone while he was finishing up whatever it was he was doing.

Knowing nothing would be able to distract him when he was focusing on his work, I didn't even bother to say hi. Instead, I waved cheerfully at the waitress.

"Good afternoon, Asami-san. Are you ready to order?" Masumi, the waitress that we were very familiar with, greeted me.

"How many times have I told you? Stop that Asami-san bullshit, Masumi! You said I can call you by your name, so you must call me by my name! That is how this friendship thing works, you know! Geez, am I the only one on earth who has this common sense?" I protested.

She laughed politely. "There are many ways to be friend, Asami-san."

I banged my head to the table dramatically. Admitting my defeat, for now, I grumbled, "You are not fun. I begin to question our friendship. Putting that aside, can I have the usual, please?"

"We try a new dessert today, molten lava cake. The outer layer was crisp with sweet melted chocolate inside. Do you want to try it?"

I turned my head to face her, a big silly grin in my face. "Forget my previous statement. You are officially my friend forever, Masumi-san."

She smiled and bowed before she left. Ten minutes later, when I had read almost every posts in my Facebook walls, she returned with my meals. Knowing better than to waste time by asking or offering Tao, I quickly dove into the delicious food in front of me. Despite my hatred for the cafe's atmosphere, the food was great. And their cakes were definitely to die for.

When I was about to swallow my second bite of that evilly delicious chocolate cake, Tao finally put his papers into a leather folder, closed his laptop, and finally, graced me with his attention.

"Sorry, I have an important meeting after this," he explained without an ounce of remorse on his face. I could recognised an insincere apology when I saw one, so I just ignored him, happily chewing my delicious cake instead.

"Sooo," he dragged the word as if it had at least 5 syllables instead of just one, "How was your one night stand, Akihito? Good?" he continued with a straight face, but the amusement in his black eyes betrayed his emotionless tone.

I was almost choked by my innocent piece of chocolate cake. Embarrassed was an understatement. My face burnt hot with shame. Blood rushed to my head and I was sure that I had to be red to the tip of my ears.

"I will kill him!" My first thought was that Asami had exposed our private life to his subordinates. Even if I considered them as my friends, best friends even, I didn't want them to know every details of my sex life. For me, blabbering about our pleasure in bed was an offence punishable by death. Or public humiliation, at the very least. I still had some photos capturing Asami's most embarrassing moments somewhere in my studio. My friend in Mainichi Shinbun would love to have those pictures for their front page tomorrow.

Tao made an evil smirk. "Please, Akihito. Asami-sama didn't need to tell me anything."

I looked at him suspiciously. Was he trying to save his boss now? Tao's loyalty to Asami always amazed me, especially considering their rocky beginning.

"I was at the security room," he explained, signalling Masumi-san to refill his empty coffee cup. The young woman quickly appeared by his side, poured more coffee for him, and returned to the corner, far enough to give us privacy. "In case you forgot, I am Sion Group's managing director and it is my responsibility to control our establishments from time to time. I was looking at the security screens when I saw Asami-sama coming to you. He gave you a reserved greeting and you both acted as if you just met each other. A few minutes later, Suoh called to inform me that Asami-sama wanted to be alone and no one was to follow him. It isn't hard to put two and two together."

It had been weeks since that night at The Haven and I'd thought that no one had known about it. Apparently, Tao knew all along and the only reason he hadn't discussed the embarrassing topic up until now was because he had been too busy these past few weeks to meet me for lunch.

"You were peeping!" I accused him while throwing a disgusted glare at him.

Tao merely snorted. "If you don't want anyone to see, do it behind a close door. Seriously, I didn't have to peep to look. It was blatantly there, in the middle of Tokyo's hottest club, on Friday night. What a way to be discreet, in my humble opinion. The only thing that stopped your sweet little affair from being in the front page of every tabloid and gossip magazine in Japan was Asami-sama's precautionary steps to keep his and his family life private."

For a while, I just stared at my friend. Anger and embarrassment were instantly forgotten and quickly replaced by curiosity. "You know, Tao, sometimes, I wonder. I know my husband is a rich, powerful, evil, and perverted bastard. But how much power and money does he actually have to be able to shut the mouth of those scandal-seekers working in gossip magazines? I work in the publishing industry, Tao. I know how cruel those people in gossip magazines can be."

Tao didn't answered. Watching me with those uncanny opal orbs instead, he sipped his coffee quietly.

"Tao, what is it that Asami is doing actually?" I pushed.

It was irritating that Sion Group's managing director might know my husband better than me. But, recently such questions popped more often into my mind. Was the Asami that I knew the real one? Did he also wear a fake mask when he was with me, like when he was in front of everyone else? How much power and money did he have? And more importantly, what did he do to earn such power and money? I wasn't stupid. I knew he did illegal things. But how illegal? We had the kids to think about now. What if his so-called _business_ jeopardised our children's safety? No one tried to kidnap or hurt them for a long time, but I could never say it was impossible.

My internal battle had to be obvious because Tao sighed. "Relax, Akihito. Asami-sama is just another businessman. He has business to take care of and he still has a family to think about. There is only so much things a man can do in a day. And he tries to do everything. Don't be so hard on him. In the end, he is just a man who truly loves his family and does everything in his power to keep you and the children safe and happy. One doesn't have to be rich or powerful to do such thing."

True. One didn't have to be rich or powerful to care for the people that they loved. If zombie apocalypse ever came and we only had limited amount of food, I would also give my share to my husband and children without question. Hell, I would gladly die for them. But to be able to stop those gossip reporters from putting a scandal on their front page? It needed something more than love and bravery. It required a huge amount of money and power; an amount that I couldn't even imagine.

"Talking about family, how are the children?" Tao didn't even bother to be discreet when he switched the subject to a relatively safer topic. Talk about loyalty.

"The twins' teacher called me this morning," I replied absentmindedly. "Said there was something urgent that she needed to discussed with me in person."

He frowned. "What is it that's so urgent till it can't wait until next week? Today is still summer holiday."

I shrugged. "No idea. I'm going there after this, then I'll pick up Mizuki from her piano class. Asami told the boys to go to his office today so I'll just meet them there. We'll have family dinner."

"I see," he said. But his tone clearly stated that he was aware of the dinner plan already. "How is the little moon?" Tao loved to call Mizuki the_ moon_, as was the meaning of her name. It was a habit that everyone started to pick up.

"Strong minded, as always. I pity her future husband. That man will have his hands full of her AND still need to avoid a sociopath father and two over-protective big brothers who will watch over her like a dragon protecting its gold."

Tao raised his eyebrow. His expression was a mix of feigned hurt and fake surprise. Knowing what he wanted me to say, I added dully, "Oh, sure, also a twisted older cousin, a bunch of violent uncles, and a loving aunty."

"Hey, how come I got the title of a twisted cousin while Haruka became the loving aunty? That's unfair! I am a very good cousin," he protested.

"Seriously, Tao? Do you still need to ask that? You don't exactly make a very good role model with how you keep bringing different boys and girls every time you join our family events. I doubt you even know the name of that exotic boy you brought to my anniversary dinner last time."

Tao snorted. "He is just a hired companion, Akihito. A whore, if I can be blunt. Why should I know his name?"

I sighed. The exotic pretty boy had introduced himself as Malik and he had stared at Tao with pure adoration in his dark brown eyes. I had pitied him because I'd knew Tao would dump him after a few weeks. Or worse, days. But debating this issue with Tao was like talking to a wall.

"You are hopeless, Tao," I shook my head in frustration. "Anyway, I have wanted to ask this for some time already, but I always forgot. Do the twins have girlfriends? I assumed that they would be more open about such things to you since they see you as their big brother."

Tao stilled. For a brief second, an unusual emotion flashed on his face. Was that shock? Jealousy? But before I could recognise it, it was gone. When he finally answered me, his voice was even as if the topic bored him.

"Girlfriends? You mean, romantically? What is it that makes you think that way?"

Tao's tone reminded me of Asami. It was the same way Asami would talk to me whenever he wanted to distract my attention away from something important. I pretended that I didn't notice it. After more than a decade living together with Asami, I had gotten better and better at pretending. There was a gun hidden inside my husband's side table? Pretend I didn't know it. Found a blood stain on my husband's pants? Pretend I didn't see it.

I had perfected the art of pretending ignorance so thoroughly that I would win the gold medal if it was included in the olympics. It didn't mean that I wouldn't try to secretly find out what Asami had hidden from me, though. I hadn't became an investigative photographer for nothing. It was hard since Asami had been very careful. So far, I only managed to get bits of pieces here and there. Nothing made any sense yet. But patience was my forte.

"Lately, they always had something to do, studying at the library, meeting a friend, extracurricular activities, summer practices. Seriously, Tao, how busy a teenager can be? Sometimes, they receive a call and they will go into their room just to answer that call. So I thought maybe they have girlfriends. I really don't mind them having girlfriends. Or boyfriends. Whichever they prefer. It might even feel nice to have more people in our family. Or is this the beginning of the infamous rebellious phase?"

Surprisingly, there was a look of relief on Tao's face. But I couldn't be too sure. Because, once again, he quickly schooled his expression.

Rather than answering my question directly, Tao just gave me a vague nod. "I'll tell them to spend more time with the family," he said.

I waited for him to continue yet Tao didn't say anything else.

But I noticed the way he raised his right hand to his chin, his forefinger slowly rubbing his bottom lips. It was something he did whenever he hid a fact from me. He didn't seem to be aware of this habit, so most probably it was an unconscious act. I was pretty sure he didn't do it in front of anyone else, having seen him telling outright lies to other people without even blinking an eye. I guessed, Tao didn't feel bad about lying to other people, but he did feel bad when he needed to lie to me. Perhaps, it was because he always saw me as his best and only friend. It seemed that his guilt had caused the instinctive habit.

It made me curious. My friend had something that he didn't tell me and my inner journalist was determined to find what it was about.

* * *

4.35 PM

Asami's phone rang right before he gave his answer to Takamiya Daisuke. It was Asami's private phone and that ringtone was reserved for only one person in his contact list: Akihito.

The limited edition matching iPhones were a gift from his daughter, Mizuki, for their wedding anniversary last weekend. The bezel was made of gold with hundreds of flawless diamonds embedded. It was a bit flashy, in Asami's opinion, but it was a gift from his precious little princess. So, of course Asami would appreciate it as if it was a national treasure.

"Dad hates it when you ignore his call," the 11 years old girl had explained patiently. Asami had opened his mouth to give his usual excuses, that he'd been working, that he'd never missed any family event despite him being busy at work, etcetera etcetera, but the blond girl had quickly cut him off, "I know. You are busy. And when you are busy with your work, you ignore not only dad's call, but also everyone else's. If it is important, the caller can contact you through Kirishima-san." It had been Asami's usual excuses. Obviously, the little girl had remembered it word by word. "But, you see, sometimes, dad just wants to hear your voice, not Kirishima-san's. And you are always busy lately that he can't get through to you at all."

He'd been struck by the little girl's honesty. It'd been a few weeks after the incident when he'd unintentionally hit Akihito on the night of his sons' birthday dinner. And Asami had tried his best to fix their relationship. But, indeed, his business had required most of his attention since the Takamiyas had became more aggressive with their expansion. Yet, Mizuki's blunt reasoning had reminded him of what the most important things in his life were. Akihito. His children. His family.

"I set a special ringtone for dad in your phone. This way, you will know whenever he calls," Mizuki had continued with wisdom and maturity only few 11 years old girls had. "You can ignore my calls or the twins' or everyone else's, but when you hear this ringtone, please answer it."

Apparently, the ringtone was a western song by a singer called Taylor Swift, titled Love Story. In the beginning, Asami had thought that the song was kinda stupid. If the boy really wanted the girl, he shouldn't make her waiting and should just take her right away. That was a sign of weakness, in his opinion, and the girl's parents had done right by forbidding their relationship. Asami also didn't want to give her sons or daughter to someone that was weak. Akihito was even more livid when he heard the ringtone, quickly assuming that in his daughter's eyes, it was him being the '_princess_' while Asami being the '_prince_'. But Mizuki had pouted when they'd tried to change that fucking ringtone. So they'd given in. After a while, Asami had gotten used to the song and lately he even felt that the song was quite nice. Not that Asami would admit it. Ever.

Anyway, for the past week, whenever he heard that special ringtone, Asami would stop whatever it was he was doing to listen to anything Akihito wanted to say for a few minutes. Or sometimes, for almost half an hour and a session of phone sex. He had found that it had not only improved their relationship but also motivated him to do his best. So, he didn't want to stop this positive habit now. Not even for Takamiya and his retarded men.

_''Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone_

_I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run_

_You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess_

_It's a love story baby just say yes''_

Taylor Swift's voice echoed in the now silent room. Takamiya Daisuke looked at Asami with confusion in his face while his nephew, Takamiya Aoto, frowned at the cheesy lyrics. It was apparent from the way they stared at him that the ringtone had shifted their perspective of Asami Ryuichi, the person who controlled the entire Japan.

Without losing his cool, Asami looked around the meeting room before excusing himself, "I am sorry, gentlemen, but I really need to take this call. Please, continue. I trust my sons to lead the discussion with you."

For some time already, Asami had started to trust his sons with parts of his business. If Rikiya and Nao felt that they couldn't handle it without him, Kirishima and Tao would always be by their side to assist. And if the Takamiyas thought that they could exploit Asami's absence to threaten his sons, either mentally or physically, they would get a huge surprise. Despite their young age, the twins were tougher than what people thought. Besides, Takamiya Daisuke was an idiot. It was Daisuke's brother-in-law that Asami was worried about and the man would never do this kind of chores himself, preferring to send Daisuke or his son, Aoto. So, Asami didn't feel worry to leave his young sons with his rivals.

"Yes, Akihito?" He greeted his husband as soon as he was outside the meeting room. Nodding slightly to Suoh who was waiting patiently near the lift, Asami leaned against the wall just beside the door while talking in a low voice.

"I really can't accept this, Ryu!" Akihito voice was so loud and full of anger that Asami had to move his phone away from his ear.

Quickly, Asami tried to recall what he did wrong this time. Did he miss any important dates? Birthday? Anniversary? Did he promise something and then forget about it? No way. Even if he forgot, Kirishima would remind him. Deciding that he didn't remember doing any crime that was related to Akihito (yet), Asami waited silently for Akihito to explain.

"One of the twins' teacher called me to school this morning! She said, she had something important that she needed to discussed with me!"

Oh, it was about school, then. Quietly releasing a relief breath, Asami replied, "And why doest it make you so angry?"

"She accused our sons of being criminals!" The shout was so loud that Asami was sure Suoh could hear it as well from across the room.

Knowing that it was just a petty school problem, Asami was listening with only half his attention now. Evenly, he asked, "Oh? And may I know what kind of crime she accused our sons of?"

"Countless baseless crimes! Bullying other children. Prostituting both male and female students. Bribing the teachers. Threatening their victims. Skipping class for days. I don't remember what else! I told her it was all bullshit! My sons are good students, the best in their class. Rikiya is the student body's president since junior high. And Nao is the captain of their basketball team, bringing more trophies for the school than any other students the school have ever had! They actively participate in every school events, rank as top students every semester, and everyone loves them. Never before their teachers said anything bad about their score or attitude in school. And now this new teacher accuse them of doing that!? Can you believe it?!"

Akihito sounded so angry that Asami was afraid his husband would start hyperventilating if he didn't calm the younger man. Not that Akihito had ever hyperventilated before. But Asami rarely heard his husband panting that quickly when they were not in bed.

If the statement came from other parents, people might think that the parents were being biased. But Rikiya and Naoyuki were truly the top and most popular student in their school. The twins were not only extremely handsome with a body to die for; they were also ridiculously smart, great in sports, and charming. And they were both devoted to the family; always, they put the family above all else. No parents could ask for better sons than the twins, in Asami's opinion. So, Asami couldn't blame Akihito for feeling insulted at the accusation.

"No, I also can't believe it, Akihito," Asami answered dutifully, trying to placate his husband.

_I can__'__t believe that my sons can be so careless to leave any evidence behind, _he added silently._Moreover, being so careless until it raised__this new teacher's__ suspicion_. _I will need to have a long talk with Rikiya and Nao about the importance of removing evidences thoroughly__.__Soon._

Satisfied that Asami had agreed with him, Akihito yelled smugly, "See?! I told that stupid teacher exactly the same thing! No way my sons did any of that!"

What Akihito didn't know was that the twins indeed had a side business, and not a very legal one as far as Asami knew. Something about loaning money and prostituting students who needed quick money; he didn't really know the details. It had started one day when Tao'd told the twins about the story of how he'd started his first business against _uncle_ Feilong's wish. Somehow, it had inspired the twins to start their own business without Asami's help. In Asami's opinion, there was nothing wrong with giving his sons some space to prove themselves as independent men. If anything, he was proud of his sons for not wanting to rely on their family's power and money. Which was why he had silently supported the twins' side business by keeping it a secret from Akihito.

Well, Rikiya and Nao had secretly worked part time for Sion group for almost three years anyway. The work required the boys to be involved in many illegal activities. It was part of passing Asami's vast empire to his sons. His sons' side business was a small crime compared to what the twins had done to achieve their place in Sion group. But it was a trivial detail that Akihito didn't need to know.

"And how could this teacher come to such a conclusion? There must be a reason."

Asami heard more grumbling before Akihito finally answered, his tone sour with disgust, "There is this girl, Kisa-chan. According to the new teacher, this girl reported that her friend had borrowed a large amount of money from the twins. She told this teacher that Riki and Nao are something like loan sharks."

Suddenly, Asami heard a muffled shout from inside the meeting room. He opened the door slightly and peeked inside to check on his sons.

"Hmm," he murmured noncommittally, encouraging his husband to continue the story.

Inside the room, Nao was in fury, growling something Asami couldn't hear while pointing his gun to Takamiya Daisuke with his left hand. Nao's right hand could never hold the gun still enough to get a good shot. But over the years, his younger son had learnt to use his left hand to replace his right one, something else that Akihito didn't know much.

Daisuke, being such a coward, was pale and shaking. But his three men, including Daisuke's nephew, Aoto, were pointing their guns back to his youngest son. Tao quickly moved to cover Nao. Asami's own men were directing their guns to Takamiya's men. To his credit, Rikiya sat calmly in the middle of all that chaos, looking as if he was enjoying a tea break among friends. His oldest son's ability to stay cool-headed in any kind of situation always made Asami proud.

Covering the phone with one hand, Asami gave a signal to Suoh, silently telling him to go inside and help. His trusted bodyguard didn't need to be told twice. Within seconds, Suoh already called more security men before walking into the room. The Takamiyas must be delusional if they believed that they could walk out of Sion office building safely after threatening Asami's sons. Not that Asami had any doubt on his sons' ability to defend themselves.

"Kato-sensei -oh, that is the new teacher by the way- told me that based on her investigation, she believes that the twins forced the other girl, Kisa-chan's friend, to pay her loan with her body when she couldn't pay back. Kato-sensei even accused the twins of raping the girl! The twins! My polite and gentle babies! Can you imagine they do such things?!"

Akihito's yell drowned the uproar from inside the meeting room. It was difficult to focus on his husband's story when his youngest son was facing a loaded gun. But he managed to catch Akihito's last few sentences and before he could stop it, he snorted.

No, Asami couldn't imagine his youngest son raping a random girl. Nao had set his heart on a certain someone since….well, since as long as Asami could remember. The crime lord wasn't as dense as his younger husband to be able to ignore Nao's obvious –and almost desperate– attempts to get his crush's attention. Or maybe Akihito was just in a denial mode.

His oldest son, in the other hand, was an entirely different case. Asami could perfectly imagine Rikiya doing just that. His oldest son was always a womaniser, moving from one woman to another quicker than a whore taking off her clothes. Heaven knew how Rikiya could keep this side of him a secret from Akihito. The boy reminded Asami of his younger self: a young, confident and arrogant boy who knew what he wanted in life and how to get it. Or so the boy thought.

Up until Asami'd met Akihito, just like Rikiya, Asami'd also thought that money, power and the right network was all that mattered in life. Hell, he hadn't even thought that he would have needed love. Sex was merely something he had done to satisfy his basic need, like eating and sleeping. A good fuck was a good fuck; there was nothing personal there. But here he was, almost two decades later, feeling completely sure that his family was the biggest achievement in his life. And that was something that Rikiya would also learn when the boy met the right person.

Observing his oldest son's love life, it wouldn't happen anytime soon though. And Akihito would surely die from a broken heart if he ever found out about Rikiya's '_adventurous_' side. So, instead of revealing the hard truth, Asami carefully said in a soothing tone, "There must be a misunderstanding." Not exactly a lie, in Asami's opinion. A white lie, maybe, or an omission of truth. But not a lie.

Akihito mistook Asami's snort as a sign of Asami's disbelief in the entire accusation and Asami's further response just strengthened Akihito's faith in their sons.

"I believe so, too, Ryu. I called the headmaster and we will meet next Monday. I won't accept this kind of ill treatment towards any of my children!"

Asami wanted to chuckle at his husband's antics. Akihito was such a mama bear. His husband was kind and all, but as soon as someone disturbed his lovely cubs, Akihito's ferocious side would come forth to protect his children. However, the argument inside the meeting room suddenly grew louder and Asami's amusement was instantly forgotten.

Asami was opening the door a little bit wider when the first gunshot rang out.

It was still quite loud despite the usage of a silencer. The sound echoed in the spacious room. That was the problem with the real world. In the movie, a silencer would make the gunshot sounded as if we were just throwing something heavy into a pillow. You know, that soft '_phut__'_ sound. But here was the truth: even with a silencer, a gunshot still made noise. And Asami was just a few seconds too late to cover his phone to save Akihito from that truth.

"Ryu, was that a gunshot that I heard?" Akihito's voice was instantly alarmed.

Asami didn't answer immediately. Frozen, he stood just outside the opened door, staring into the room. Nao had made a clean shot at one of Takamiya's man. Right between the eyes. Looking serene like an avenging angel, the boy was smiling charmingly at the other men in the room. Those hazel eyes sparkled with amusement. The pretty pink lips curled into a smirk. Then, without a warning, Nao shot the dead body multiple times until his gun was empty of bullet. Blood was splattered all over across the sofa, floor and carpets. Suoh, Kirishima and the rest of Asami's men were pointing their gun right at the back of Daisuke and Aoto's head. Tao was practically crushing the other Takamiya's bodyguard into the wall. The silence that followed was deafening and Akihito scared whisper sounded more like a scream in Asami's ear.

"R…Ryu?"

Asami could hear Nao asking Takamiya Aoto, a twisted young man with an ugly face just like his father, mockingly, "Anyone else wants a taste of _Asami__'__s pretty little boys_?"

Thank god Akihito couldn't hear it since Asami was still covering the damned phone with his hand. Clearly, Takamiya's man had insulted his youngest son and the now dead man had experienced Nao's temper firsthand.

"Ryu, please, say something! Are you okay?" Akihito shouted in fear.

Asami cleared his throat while sending a deadly glare to his youngest son. Nao was in the middle of a complete fury that the boy didn't realize Asami's wordless warning right away. But Rikiya instantly understood and he silently held his brother wrist. After Asami was sure that Nao wouldn't cause any more noise (no doubt Takamiya and his men would stay silent with guns on their temples!), Asami answered his husband casually, chuckling slightly to lighten the mood, "Don't be silly. You watched too many movies. One of my meeting rooms is being renovated and the construction workers were a bit rough. But I already told them to keep the noise down from now on."

Akihito mumbled something he couldn't understand, apparently still shaken by fear. Quickly, Asami assessed the situation in front of his eyes. After a brief second, he decided that everything was still under control.

"Give me a sec, okay? I am going to find a quiet place," he told Akihito before turning off the phone's mic. He didn't want to scare Akihito anymore than this. Signalling his sons and men to go ahead with a nod, he went to his private office.

"Please forgive my brother, Takamiya-san," he could hear Rikiya telling Takamiya Daisuke insincerely, most probably with a wicked smirk in that young and handsome face. "I am afraid his temper has always been hard to control since childhood. However, I agree with him. With our current situation, you are in as much trouble as us. And being rude in our place won't help you at all. Be wise, Takamiya-san, and we may be able to come to an agreement that will benefit us both, even though I found your brother in law's proposal to be quite… ridiculous."

_What proposal?_

Well, he would get the full report later anyway. And no agreement would be sealed without his permission. Completely trusting his sons and subordinates to handle the situation, Asami didn't wait for Takamiya's reply as he walked towards the private lift. Let his sons handle the Takamiyas; Asami had a husband to please.

* * *

6.49 PM

"_'Romeo save me, they're trying to tell me how to feel_

_This love is difficult, but it's real_

_Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess_

_It's a love story baby just say yes''_

_Oh oh oh oh__…"_

For the second time today, Taylor Swift interrupted Asami's speech. Tapping his cigarettes lightly on the ashtray that Kirishima had provided, Asami waited for his trusted secretary to bring the phone to him. He pressed the answer button and switched the call into loud speaker mode.

"Ryu, Mizuki and I are downstairs. Are you done? Are the twins there already?" Akihito's cheery greeting echoed in his silent private office.

Asami didn't reply immediately. Instead, he glared at his two sons, both standing nervously in front of his desk, hands crossed behind their back. After he was sure that his sons wouldn't cause any problem, Asami answered calmly, "I am in the middle of talking to the boys about what the new teacher told you, Akihito. But I'll be done soon."

There was a moment of silence and then rushed footsteps before Akihito finally asked in a strained whisper, "And?"

Obviously, Akihito didn't think that Asami would put the phone in speaker mode. Which was why Asami did it. He wanted to show his boys how worried Akihito had been because of their stupid mistake. This would be a much more efficient punishment than any beatings. The twins loved Akihito too much. They would do anything to keep their beloved dad safe and happy.

As expected, both Rikiya and Nao flinched at the clear worry in Akihito's voice. Nao bit his lips anxiously, an unusual grim expression on his face. Rikiya stayed still, but it was obvious that the older boy felt guilty from the way he frowned.

_Good, _Asami thought. _Let them see the mess they have created._

"Well, they said they didn't do it," Asami told his husband evenly.

There was a sound of Akihito releasing a relieved sigh. Apparently, his husband had been holding his breath in fear. Asami smirked when he saw his youngest son shutting those hazel eyes in regret.

"I know they won't do something like that," Akihito whispered softly.

It was true that the twins didn't do it. Asami had asked his sons right before Akihito had called.

Nao hadn't even touched the girl. His youngest son had blushed to the tip of his ears when Asami'd asked him bluntly. "I introduced her to an old man who was willing to pay a lot of money to sleep with her. We took 60% of those money as payment. She took the rest. But that was all that I did," Nao said.

Rikiya, however, had admitted that he had slept with the girl before they'd sold her to the old man. "But, I didn't rape her, father. She was the one who asked to pay her loan with her body," his oldest son had explained quickly. "She is quite pretty and I want to taste her. Nao said it was okay, but we told her that it would only pay the interest of her loan."

Rikiya took pride on seducing all his bed partners, luring them effortlessly with his good look and cocky attitude until they were willing to do anything that he said. It was clear, though, that Rikiya didn't feel guilty doing what he had done. What'd made Rikiya hanging his head in shame now wasn't the fact that he had just admitted to his father that he'd slept with his underage classmate. No. It was knowing that he had made Akihito worry that had filled Rikiya with remorse.

Surely his sons would be more careful in the future now that they knew there were risks and consequences in their every action.

Satisfied with the twins' reaction, Asami told his husband, "We'll see you and Mizuki in 15 minutes, then?"

"Sure, Ryu. See you soon."

The call ended and Asami turned his attention back to his sons.

"So, back to our discussion, boys. I am not angry because you both did what you did. You want to sleep with every living female on earth? Go ahead. You want to put hundreds of bullets inside a jerk? Feel free to do so. What I can't accept is when what you did causing stress to your dad, either directly or indirectly. Whatever you do, you do it safely and neatly. If you want to do anything illegal, make sure you clean up after that. Don't leave any evidence that may send him into a panic attack, especially if that evidence is in the form of a 15 years old girl who can TALK." Asami raised his voice slightly while glaring at his oldest son. Even Rikiya winced.

Then, turning to face his second son, he continued, "It also means, if you want to kill someone, you do it somewhere your dad can't see or HEAR it." This time, it was Nao who fidgeted as if he tried to make himself invisible in front of his father.

Asami paused to let his words sink into his sons' head. The tension was thick in the air as he stared silently at the twins. Both boys didn't even dare to look at Asami in the eyes.

"Do I make myself clear, boys?"

"Yes, father. It won't happen again," Nao answered quickly.

"We promised," Rikiya added with determination in his face.

"Good. Now, don't forget to clean up your own mess. Make sure you both take care of that new teacher of yours. Next time I hear your dad panicking over this matter, I won't be this lenient."

Looking at their father with respect in their eyes, his sons nodded obediently.

Praying that his sons had learnt their lesson and would be more responsible in the future, Asami shrugged. Being a father could be difficult sometimes. But it was definitely worth every second.


	3. Chapter 3 Class Reunion

**Hi all,**

**I am really sorry it took so long for me to upload the next chapter. I was sick and then work became very hectic. Now that my life is (starting to) back to normal, I can do some writing again.**

**Anyway, I am not really satisfied with this chapter. But, oh well. Let me know what you think about this chapter. I would love to hear the good and bad.**

**This chapter is dedicated for someone (who doesnt want to be named) who requested to have a chapter about class reunion. **

**If you have any idea about a topic/theme, feel free to let me know. I'll see what I can do. **

**More lemon will come in the next chapter.**

**For now, enjoy!**

**Edana**

* * *

**Chapter 3. Class Reunion**

"Aki. Oh. My. God. You still look the same!" Mana squealed from across the room as soon as she noticed me entering.

I laughed. "And you, Mana-chan, is still as loud as ever!"

Cheery greetings from my ex-classmates welcomed me. Most made similar comments as Mana-chan's. Indeed, compared to most of my friends, who had gained weight or grown bald, I didn't change much.

After briefly scanning the restaurant's private room that we had booked for the evening, I found two of my best friends sitting near the window. Unlike Kou, who waved excitedly at me, Takato merely nodded. Our relationship had been better since Takato's dramatic outburst at Asami's hospital more than a decade ago, but it had never been the same. We hung out, laughed and, occasionally, joked at each other, but from that point on, Takato had always kept his distance.

"So, how have you been, Aki? I heard that you became a freelance photographer," someone asked me.

"I saw your name on an article about Bhutan in National Geographic a few months ago. Recognized it right away, the one and only Takaba Akihito. Must be tough to keep traveling here and there," other added.

I just grinned. I had decided long time ago to keep using my own name, instead of Asami's surname, in my photos and articles. I wanted to separate him and his so-called business from my work. My work was something private, something that belonged only to me, something that even Asami with all his money had no power to control.

I used the little money that I earned to pay for our food and household needs, and somehow it gave me an illusion of normalcy, a feeling that we were just another normal family. I might be a hypocrite by doing so. But I tried to keep reminding myself that it was Asami whom I loved, not his business. Surely it made a difference.

"Yeah. We gotta do what we gotta do to pay the bills, man," I casually answered instead.

Laughter rang out.

"It is true," another one commented. "The economy has sunk badly these past few years. Layoff everywhere."

"My company asked its employees to take voluntary unpaid leave for a month. It is either that or getting a layoff. It is difficult."

"Geez, I was planning to have my own house when I hit 30s. Now I am nearing 38 and I haven't even came close to my goal."

"Did you heard that Keiko's husband got fired last year?" one of the women started to gossip. "And they have three young kids to feed. Her family has it bad. I heard that is why she doesn't want to come to our class reunion tonight."

"Well, it must be hard working as a _freelance_ photographer in this economy," a familiar mocking voice drowned all complains. "I meant, it won't give you a stable income, right? I doubt a good woman will want to marry a man with such financial situation. No wonder you haven't married yet, Takaba."

The entire room fell into an uncomfortable silent. Slowly, I turned around.

Nakano Daiki gave me a sly leer. "What? It is true, isn't it? How hard it is to become a photographer? Everyone with a good and expensive camera can become one. Easy peasy!"

"Nakano! You-" Kou started, but I stopped him with a wave of my hand.

"Oh, hello, Nakano. Long time no see," I greeted the man who had always hated me for no apparent reason. Obviously, the feeling had been mutual. "It seems growing old does nothing to improve your manner."

To my surprise, Nakano didn't change much since our time in high school. The man had a small face with the straight nose that many people might categorize as handsome. His body wasn't too muscular and he didn't really have a broad shoulder. However, what he missed in those areas was replaced by his height. Combined it with his good grades and rich family, and he had been quite popular back in school. Both for good and bad reasons.

Nakano made an annoying smirk that made my hand itchy to punch him. I took a deep breath. '_Violence is never the answer, kiddos._' Silently, I repeated what I had always told my kids. I believed in teaching my children by setting an example instead of ordering them to do something that I couldn't even do. And getting into a fight with Nakano just because of a few nasty words would set a very bad example to my kids.

"Say whatever you want, Takaba. Everyone knows it is true."

"Yeah. Yeah," I gave him my best smile before ignoring him completely, remembering how much he'd hated me doing that.

Ever since our time in high school, Nakano had always been an asshole. Having a wealthy family, he thought that he held power over other people. It wasn't a secret that he often bullied other students and made fun of them. Many of my friends had let him had his ways because his father was an influential person in our town, a middle-rank politician or something. But not me. My stubbornness on not kissing his ass had sharpened his hatred towards me. I couldn't remember how many times I'd had to come to the counselling room after a fight with him or how often Kou and Takato had gotten injured to defend me from him and his stupid goons.

"Please, don't mind him, Aki," Mana-chan whispered nervously. "Nakano married right after his graduation from the law school. His father-in-law is the CEO of Nishimura Group. So, you know…"

She made a dismissive gesture as if the fact that Nakano had married a reputable woman from a bloody rich family was more than enough to explain Nakano's bad manner.

"Whoa," someone whispered from my other side. "You meant the only daughter and child of Nishimura Naoto? So Nakano is…what, the heir of the biggest group in the region?"

"More or less," Mana-chan shrugged. "My mother worked as a secretary at the company. So, I kinda heard a lot of gossip about him. Since his marriage with the daughter of Nishimura Naoto, Nakano has been appointed as the director of the legal affair department. The youngest one ever. Some people said that he will take over the company soon."

Most people in my table whistled in amazement. "Damn, lucky son of a bitch. Guess he is the most successful among us all."

"Seriously?" Kou snorted. "He is just an asshole and a gold digger, that's what he is. I pity his wife for having to bear with him."

Takato chuckled at Kou's comment and everyone moved on to the next topic. For the next hour or so, we chatted as we ate. The food was not bad. Of course, it was nothing compared to the food served in Asami's five stars restaurants! But it felt good to talk to my old friends again. Most were married. Some had divorced. Almost all had kids. They proudly showed their kids' photos saved in their smartphones. I noticed the longing in Kou's eyes as he looked at the photos of our friends' children. Kou always loved children, yet he still stayed a bachelor up until now. Obviously, Takato noticed it too, because he gently patted Kou's shoulder.

"How about you, Aki? Any girlfriend? Do I need to visit Tokyo anytime soon for your wedding?" Mana-chan asked goodheartedly.

"Ummmm," I started, feeling unsure on how well my old friends could understand my unusual situation. Noticing my discomfort, Kou opened his mouth to help. But before he could say anything, my phone rang.

"_Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone__  
_

_I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run__  
_

_You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess__  
_

_It's a love story baby just say yes"_

Everyone in the room looked at me for a few silent seconds before bursting into loud laughter.

"Geez, Aki," Mana-chan managed to say between her giggles. "The ringtone is a bit too cheesy for you, isn't it? Did your girlfriend force you to use it?"

Instead of answering her, for which I didn't know what to say, I just muttered, "Sorry, need to take this call."

"Ooooh, Aki's girlfriend is caaaaalling," my friends mocked behind me.

I glared at them, catching the way Kou hiding his laughter behind the glass that he held and Takato frowning while shaking his head, knowing fully well who was the caller.

"Umm, what's up?" I greeted my husband, feeling hesitant to call his name or to show any affection openly in front of my old friends.

"What kind of greeting is that, Akihito?" Asami complained. "Anyway, how's your class reunion party?"

"Good," I answered hastily. "We will move to…umm, another bar after this. Where are you and…," I scanned my brain for any words to refer to my kids without causing suspicion from my friends, and failed miserably, so I merely continued, "…the others?"

There was a brief pause. "..._the others?_" Asami's voice was hard-edged, every word pronounced carefully as if he wasn't sure he had heard correctly.

"I meant-"

"Oooh, ooooh," someone purposely faked a panting sound behind me, apparently thinking that it would be funny to stir some problem between me and the _imaginary_ _girlfriend_. I could see Kou and Takato snorted with suppressed laughter at the others' antics, obviously enjoying the thought of me getting into troubles. Traitors. "Aki, aaahhh….stop talking to your phone and do me harder….aaaahhh….yes, like that….," another of my friends squealed in high pitch voice, feigning a sensual sigh at the end of his scream.

"Akihito?" Asami's voice dropped a few decibels lower, a clear warning dripping from every syllable.

More people faked various different sex sounds near me, turning my class reunion into a sort of imaginary orgy and laughing loudly as I pushed them away. Quickly, I made my way outside the room.

"Sorry, ignore them. My friends were just being silly," I told Asami as soon as I managed to get out, purposely keeping my voice low in case they could still hear me from inside the room. I wasn't in the mood to explain my…well, my _unique_ _circumstances_ to my friends. I meant, seriously, how should a man explain to his old friends that he had a sociopath crime lord as his husband and now was taking care three children, two of which were mothered by said crime lord's mistress? It sounded too much like a cheap TV drama even to my own ears. There was no way I was going to tell my friends that. Especially not when Asami could hear it. "So, are you and the kids done with dinner?"

It was silence that met my question.

"Ryu?"

More silence, which usually meant nothing good. Then, "Yeah, we are done with dinner, Akihito. Anyway, tell me the name of the bar. I'll pick you up in two hours. That should be enough time for you."

Great. Asami and his infamous control freak tendency. I guessed, being in control came as an instinct for him. He was used to controlling his business and life, so he thought that he could do the same in our relationship. And even after all those years living together and knowing each other's faults, his domineering trait is the one thing that still annoyed me to no end.

"What?! No way! Why do you need to pick me up? I'll go back when I want to go back! You go ahead with the kids! They need to sleep!"

"They are in holiday, Akihito, they can sleep slightly later. Besides, the twins are old enough to sleep whenever they want."

"No, no, you need to bring them back to the hotel. The twins might sleep whenever they want, but Mizuki can't. It is past her sleeping time already and we can't leave her alone in the hotel!"

"Fine. I'll bring the kids back to the hotel THEN pick you up," he answered evenly as if it would solve all problems on earth. "Or Kirishima can just bring them with the other car."

I exhaled loudly, trying to keep my annoyance under control. I knew, I knew. It was immature. But, seriously, I couldn't help it! The way Asami had avoided my main point always drove me crazy.

I took a deep breath to calm myself, and then took another deep, calming one for good measure, before answering through gritted teeth, "Thanks, but no, thanks, Ryu. I don't need you to pick me up."

He snorted, "It is late night already, Akihito. It is not safe."

"Listen, this isn't Tokyo. The most interesting crime that has ever happened in this town was most probably a missing cat case!"

"Well, you might get lost," he made another excuse casually.

I lost my patience then. "Damnit, Ryu! I grew up in this town; I know the streets like the back of my hand! I don't need YOU or anyone else to babysit me!"

I hanged up. Then, I turned off my phone.

There. It should teach him a lesson. I was a 37 years old man, not a 10 years old boy. I could take care of myself. Asami better got that fact through his thick skull.

Satisfied, I went back inside to enjoy the night with my old friends.

* * *

Three hours later and I started to think maybe Asami was right, after all. It seemed my childhood town wasn't as safe as I had remembered it.

I was still not sure who had thrown the first hit or even what had actually happened. Everything had happened really fast. One second, Kou had accidentally bumped into a girl at the club that we had visited. It wasn't even intentional. Then, the next second, he had been lying face up on the floor, gripping his nose with blood all over his face.

It was obvious that those people who had picked a fight with us were yakuzas, and they were clearly drunk. We should know better than going into a fight with drunken yakuzas. But when they'd started kicking Kou in the ribs like he was some garbage bag, yelling all kind of obscenities with such hatred, my old friends and I, pumped with adrenaline and alcohol, had instinctively shoved them back hard to defend Kou.

Now, after we all had sobered up, four men and two women (the rest had gone home earlier, thank God!) sitting in a small room at the nearest police station, I felt oh, so very stupid. Kou was in the hospital with a broken nose and fractured ribs, and we were in the police station. What a great class reunion. I could just imagine what Asami would say if he ever found out.

"Can you shut the fuck up?!" Nakano snapped at Mana-chan, who sobbed softly beside me. The poor woman instantly froze in fear.

"Give her a break, Nakano." I told him while checking the bruises on my arms and stomach that had started to turn blue. Shit, Asami wouldn't be happy about this. How could I explain all these bruises?

"Oh, it is easy for you to say that, Takaba! You don't have any reputation to care about! Me?! I am an important man! What will people say? And I didn't even hit anyone! It was Kou's fault all along!"

"Kou didn't do anything wrong, damnit, Nakano!" I snapped back at him.

"Well, you are a lawyer, aren't you, Nakano?" Takato said from across the tiny room. "Can't you do something?"

Nakano opened his mouth but before he could say anything, a voice cut him short. "I doubt even a lawyer could do much for you all at this point."

A police officer stood at the entrance of the room. He looked to be in his fifties, grey giving an accent to his black hair. He seemed nice. His face was emotionless but his eyes were filled with silent sympathy. He sighed, entering the room slowly before closing the door behind him. "It seems you will need to spend the night here."

Nakano argued, "You can't do something like that! We have the right to-"

"You guys were picking a fight with the biggest yakuza group in Japan. They were not happy about this. I doubt they will care about any of your right at all. In fact, staying the night in jail might be safer than being attacked at the middle of the night."

"In jail?!" One of my old friends gasped.

"They were the one who picked a fight!" I shouted.

"It doesn't matter who provoked it-"

"Aren't you policemen supposed to protect us, civilian?" Mana-chan asked in between her tears.

"I can't go into jail!" Nakano added. Horror decorated his face, most probably worrying about what his rich wife and influential father-in-law would say.

"Listen, I am just trying to help you all, okay? They are outside claiming you guys had hurt a few of their members and they won't stop until they can get you!"

"They won't dare to hurt me! I am Nakano Daiki, the heir to Nishimura Group," Nakano claimed proudly.

"And you think they care?" The officer looked at him in exasperation. He sounded as if he was talking to a petulant child instead of a grown up man. Somehow, it reminded me of Asami. Fuck, how would Asami react if I didn't go back to the hotel tonight? We'd had to surrender our phone when we'd entered the police station so I couldn't let Asami know where I was. My family had to be worried sick. Now, I started to feel guilty.

"Of course they will care! I am-"

"I know who you are, young master. No need to repeat it," the officer continued with a mock smile on his face. "But trust me, you and your in-law family is nothing against the Fukuda-gumi. You might be a big shot in the region, but they are the biggest in Japan. Next time you go into trouble, you better remember that your rich family might not be able to protect you forever."

The short speech shocked Nakano and it shut him up immediately. His eyes widened in fear and his face paled. The hard truth evidently had shaken him to the core.

My blood froze at the mention of Fukuda-gumi. I recognised the name right away, thanks to my investigative photography background. It was a powerful yakuza syndicate with a lot of connection in the police forces. They had also been linked to some high-ranking politicians. Fukuda-gumi mainly got their profits from selling drugs and underground prostitution. Their leader, Hayashi Taro, was a ruthless and violent man. He'd been convicted for various physical and sexual abuses but had always managed to get away.

"Please, sir, is there anything we can do to fix the situation? We didn't even start the fight. They hit our friend first for nothing," Mana-chan tried to argue one more time.

The officer merely shrugged, "It seems you all had disturbed the wrong bee hive. The girl your friend bumped into is apparently the current lover of Hayashi Taro, the group leader. And he is-"

I cut him off, "-known to be the extremely jealous type. He killed people for even touching his lover. Or lovers."

The police officer looked at me in surprise. I smiled bitterly at him, "I worked as a freelance investigative photographer for criminal section before."

He shook his head slowly. "I am sorry. I am just following order here. Trust me, I don't like this anymore than you do. But there is only so much I can do."

Mana-chan's sobs turned into a muffled cry.

"Lets just pray that everything will calm down soon. At this point, however, with Fukuda-gumi being involved, only God can get you out of here tonight," the police officer said before turning around to leave the room. "The guard will bring you to where you are going to spend the night today."

_Indeed. Bearing in mind how dangerous Fukuda-gumi is, only God can help us_, I silently agreed.

Shit. I hated to do what I was going to do but I didn't have many options at the moment.

The police officer was right. Fukuda-gumi was too dangerous for us to play with. I was used to handling dangerous situation, but my friends weren't. And my biggest concern was Kou. We were relatively safe while we were here, inside the police station. Of course, unless they paid someone in the police force to beat us into a pulp, again. But Kou was out there without protection. And I wouldn't let anything bad happened to any of my friends.

"Wait, could I just make one phone call, please?" I stepped in the officer's path before he exited the room, putting my best innocent smile on my face.

"At the moment, you are not allowed-"

"Just one phone call? Please? I beg you?"

"I told you, even if you called your lawyer-"

"No, I am not going to call a lawyer."

"Then, who?" The officer raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

"Um, let's just say…God?" I gave him a sour smile.

* * *

Thankfully, said _god_ answered my call right away.

"Hi, it is me."

"Where are you, Akihito?" Asami's voice was so smooth and deliberate that I knew right away I was in deep trouble. Suddenly I felt as if I was 10 again.

"Umm, it is a long story…just don't be angry, okay?"

Silence. Had I told you that Asami being this silence had never meant anything good?

"Ugh, are you there?" I sneaked a glance at my friends who all sat behind me. Takato was the only one who had a knowing look in his eyes. He had to be able to guess who I was calling. The rest looked as puzzled as the poor police officer.

"Continue," Asami simply said.

"But you have to promise to stay calm, okay?"

"I'll decide whether to be angry or not _after_ I listen to what you want to say. Not before."

I shrugged. Fine. If that was what he wanted. "I need a favour," I said before explaining the situation. I told him everything, from how Kou had bumped into the girl to how we had ended up here, special thanks to Fukuda-gumi.

"Hmmm." That was his only reaction when I had finished talking.

"So?" I held my breath in anticipation of his anger.

"So, what?" His tone was cool and even. He didn't seem to be perturbed at all by the news. Which was a bit weird.

"Was that all that you are going to say?"

"Well, you clearly announced that you didn't need anyone to babysit you. And I agree. I shouldn't have interfered with _your_ _life_," he said with an emphasis on the words 'your life'. After a short pause, he continued, amusement clear in his voice, "Surely you can take care of _your_ problem yourself?"

Damn Asami and his ego! I understood what had happened. I had hurt his feeling. I knew it seemed impossible, but apparently the great Asami, the crime lord who ruled Japan, also had feeling. He just didn't show it much and even when he did, he just displayed it in front of a handful of people that he really, really trusted.

So, he was sulking like a child just because I had hurt his feeling with a few careless words. And for someone who had so little patience, Asami could hold a grudge for a surprisingly very, very long time. Unmistakably, now he was going to wait until I ask –or even beg- for his help.

In front of me, the police officer silently tapped his watch, signaling that I would be better hurrying up. He shouldn't allow me to make a phone call. But, he felt pity on us that he had decided to let me borrow his phone for a few minutes.

"Come on, now is not the time to hold grudges. Can't you just forget our quarrel already?" I practically barked, hoping I could avoid begging him in front of my friends.

"Oh, I don't remember we had a quarrel. It was more like you-running-away-by-turning-off-your-phone. Which wasn't a very mature behavior, in my opinion, Akihito," he pointed out needlessly.

"Phft," I snorted. "The sulking one just called me immature!"

"We made a promise. No more running away. Ever. Remember?"

I opened my mouth to snap back at him. But the police officer tapped his watch repeatedly, making a point that my time was up. Okay, now was not the time to have another pointless argument. Panicking, I finally begged him in a rush, "Fine, I am sorry, okay? It won't happen again. There. Happy? Now, can you please get us out of here? I really don't have time for this. I need to make sure that Kou is safe!"

He sighed. Or more precisely, he feigned a sigh as if he was a saint who was about to make life-shattering sacrifice by forgiving me. "You owe me one."

"What do you mean I owe you one? It is not like I ask your favor everyday! And you are my…." I stopped, finally noticing that all my friends were staring intently at me. Even the police officer was looking at me with curiosity clear on his face now. Quickly, I lowered my voice, "Well, anyway, bottom line is we should help each other, right?"

"Your what?" He asked calmly instead.

"Damnit, just get us out or else…"

"I. am. your. what?" He repeated, emphasizing each word with a pause. I was sure he was enjoying this. Stupid, perverted Asami!

I wanted to make a witty retort. But he knew me way too well, because he casually continued, "For someone who is needing my favor, you better watch your attitude, Akihito."

Argghh.

Ignoring all the stares that were directed at me, my face burning hot with embarrassment, I closed my eyes before answering him, "You are my…well, my lover. And lovers help each other without keeping tabs about it! So, no, I don't owe you anything! Thank you! Now, move your lazy ass!"

His pleased chuckle was seriously infuriating. I could clearly imagine the annoying smirk on his face.

"Give me ten minutes, Akihito."

* * *

Apparently, Asami didn't even need ten minutes to get us out of there. Just a few minutes after I hanged up, the officer received a call, presumably from his boss because he talked very politely and carefully. He even bowed in respect to the person who was calling him, though that person wouldn't be able to see him.

"You guys can leave now," he said once he had finished the call. "The Fukuda-gumi had agreed that they will not take any legal –or illegal– action against you all."

"What?" Nakano asked as if he couldn't believe what he had heard.

"I told you to go home. Everything was settled. I doubt Fukuda-gumi would give you any more trouble."

Wow, that was fast. I had to admit that I was kinda impressed. As always, the question of how wealthy and powerful Asami truly was crossed my mind. But for once, I felt grateful instead of troubled. I was really worried about my friends, and Asami's interference helped us a lot.

Glancing at me, the officer simply stated, "That was a very powerful lover you have there. Must be one hell of a woman."

I just shrugged. What could I say? It was true. Well, except for the woman part.

From the corner of my eyes, I could see Takato shaking his head, but his expression mirrored my relief. All my friends, especially Nakano, gaped at me as if I was a rare endangered species. I could feel my face hot and I was sure that I was red to the tip of my ears.

"Let's go, guys," I murmured softly.

Stunned, my friends silently followed my lead to get the hell out of the police station. The officer brought us to the lobby, helped us to gather our stuffs and let us go. That was it. There wasn't any paperwork that we need to fill. They even bowed on our way out as if we were some sorts of VIP customers.

Outside, a sleek red Porsche and a black Mercedes parked at the opposite side of the police station. Kirishima stood in front of one of the cars, waiting. I spotted him right away and quickly crossed the road. His stance was stiff as he glared daggers at me. Plainly, he wasn't happy to be outside at 4AM in the morning.

"Akihito-sama," he greeted me when we got near, slightly bowing his head.

The surprised look on Nakano's face made my embarrassment more bearable. It wasn't like I wanted to brag about Asami's wealth. But it was nice to be able to shut Nakano's mouth for a little while. I was tired listening to him talking about how important and successful he was.

"My god, Aki, who is your girlfriend actually?" Mana-chan asked, her mouth hanging open in amazement. She looked back and forth between Kirishima, the two imported cars, and me. "You need to let us meet her! We need to thank her for her kind help."

"Ummm, no need. It is nothing serious," I glanced at Kirishima who remained stoic while standing beside the open car door, pretending he was not listening to our conversation. Without any doubt, Asami would receive a complete report about this conversation tomorrow morning. I needed to be careful if I didn't want to be Asami's laughing stock.

"So, you have a rich girlfriend after all?" Jealousy was clear in Nakano's voice. There was no doubt it was because he would no longer be the center of everyone's attention. Nakano had always hated it when someone shone brighter than him. "Why haven't you said anything? What does she do?"

"It is just…a…well, let's just say, she is doing her family business."

"Family business?" Nakano asked quickly. He narrowed his eyes on me as if he wanted to make sure whether I told him the truth or not. "What kind of family business?"

I sighed. "Import and export, I guess. More or less." Silently, I added, _most probably, illegal stuffs like weapons or drugs or maybe even humans, though I haven't managed to get any evidence so far_.

"So, how long have you been together?" Mana-chan squealed in excitement. "You didn't tell us before!"

I stuttered for words and I could feel heat rose up my cheeks. "Well…I don't think it is important."

I could only imagine how red my face was. Hopefully, the street lamp was dimmed enough to hide my face in the dark.

"Oh he was blushing! Oh my god, Aki, it is so sweet! You must be truly in love!" The women screamed enthusiastically.

Or not.

"You need to introduce us! We want to thank her directly!"

Yeah, right. Thank her properly, my ass. I bet they just wanted to see my _imaginary girlfriend_ so that they could gossip about it.

"She must be really special till you want to hide her from us!"

Very special, indeed.

"Come on, Aki. Don't be stingy!"

I had enough. "Fine. Fine. Next time, okay? Not tonight. I am dead tired and I bet you are, too. Come on, I'll send you home."

Quickly, I led them to the two cars that had been waiting for us. Feeling extremely exhausted, I didn't take our conversation seriously. I just wanted to go back to the hotel and had a long sleep. Little did I know I would regret the promise I rashly made to my old friends.

* * *

Asami stared at the sleeping form of his husband, savoring the peaceful moment before he had to start his day.

Akihito'd crawled to bed sometime early morning. Without a word, his husband had snuggled to Asami's side, sneaking under Asami's arm and making his hard chest into a pillow. Asami had pretended to sleep, but they both had known that Asami wasn't sleeping at all. Asami was a light sleeper and even the slightest movement would wake him up.

"Thank you," Akihito had whispered softly before he'd fell asleep. Asami hadn't said anything. He'd simply held Akihito closer to his body, enjoying the feeling of Akihito's silky skin against his side.

He had tried to sleep after that but he'd found that he couldn't. So he simply took his cigarette box and lighted one, resigning to the idea that he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Well, never mind, he had a meeting with Takamiya soon anyway.

As was the case lately, the thought of having a meeting with Takamiya made him restless. He didn't like how Takamiya had expanded his business so aggressively. Especially not since the new anti-organized-crime law left Asami with so few options to defend or protect his business.

He inhaled more of the toxic smoke to calm himself and before long he had lighted another stick. Mizuki-chan would be really angry if she found out how much he had smoked recently. Her daughter had tried to make him stop for years, but he just couldn't. His longing for cigarette was one of the two things in this world that he couldn't control. The other one was soundly asleep beside him.

Trying not to disturb his husband, Asami run his fingers through the blond locks. There were a few new purplish bruises along the cheekbone, and more on Akihito's body. Automatically, Asami scowled in anger. He hated it when Akihito was hurt. But tonight, it was partially his fault.

He'd almost flipped in anger when Akihito had told him through the phone about having a fight with members of Fukuda-gumi. It'd been out of sheer will that he could stay stay composed. He'd needed Akihito to know how annoyed Asami was every time his younger husband decided to run away without words. Which was why he had held back from fussing over Akihito.

Asami spent a few more silent minutes watching Akihito's peaceful expression before he got out of the warm hotel bed, deciding to take a quick shower before his early morning meeting. When he finally got out of his bedroom, Kirishima and Tao had been waiting for him at the suite's lounge.

"Rikiya-sama and Nao-sama went ahead to have breakfast," Kirishima informed him. He merely nodded. If there was one healthy habit that Akihito had managed to drill into their children, it was to always have breakfast before starting the day. Nao wouldn't even kill anyone without having a breakfast first, as stupid as it sounded.

Joining Akihito to come back to his childhood town was a last minute decision.

The Takamiyas had suggested a truce, and Asami had thought that this small town was a perfect place to discuss the terms and conditions of their peace accord. The town was located in a neutral zone and it was quiet. The fact that the town had nothing much made it safe to assume that their meeting wouldn't attract unwanted attention from the government. The new law really was a pain in the ass for them all and he had to be extra careful if he wanted to stay out of the authorities' radar.

"What time will our meeting with the Takamiyas be?" he asked Kirishima as they walked towards the lift to meet the twins.

"It will be on 8.30. We still have enough time," the answer came smoothly without missing a beat, another proof of Kirishima's efficiency.

"Anything else for today?"

"You will have lunch with Akihito-sama and the children at 2PM before we all head back to Tokyo," Kirishima replied.

Tao cleared his throat before he added, "Hayashi Taro from Fukuda-gumi called this morning to apologize for his members' behavior. He felt he had disappointed you when he found out that his subordinates had hurt Akihito-sama. He assured us that those responsible had been punished."

In short, it meant that they were dead. Too bad. He wanted to kill them himself, however he understood the rules.

Besides, it was also his fault. He should have told them clearly to make sure not to hurt Akihito when he'd called them last night. But, he had been so annoyed with Akihito's attitude that he'd forgotten to make it clear. _Shouldn't have trusted those brainless low class yakuzas_, he thought. _You give them one job and somehow they can still mess it up._

He'd just wanted to scare Akihito. That was why he had called Fukuda-gumi in the first place. But apparently his plan had backfired. He didn't expect the yakuzas to be drunk and Akihito to fight back, which had ended up with Akihito being hurt.

He sighed. Well, what was done was done. At least now, Akihito would think twice before he hanged up on Asami. No matter how old Akihito was, to Asami he was always his boy. Akihito always thought that he could take care of himself, which wasn't the case at all. His husband better got that fact through his thick skull.

There. It should teach Akihito a lesson.

Satisfied, Asami went to attend his meeting with the Takamiyas.


	4. Chapter 4 Brewing Trouble

**Chapter 3. Brewing Trouble **

Nestled on the top floor of the most prestigious skyscraper in Tokyo, the Haven was mostly empty at this hour of the night. The main lighting was off, leaving a few ambient lamps to light the hallway. The cleaning service had even gone home hours ago. Only some security men were there and they bowed respectfully when they saw Tao entering the Haven's lobby.

With the gracefulness of a predator who perfectly knew the power he had over others, Tao walked across the posh entrance hall. Tonight, he didn't wear the usual formal suits that he always wore when he visited Sion group's establishments. Instead, he wore a leather jacket on top of a black shirt and worn out jeans. His pure black hair was a bit tousled but he didn't care. He had been awoken in the middle of the night just to find one troublesome brat. He deserved to look like however he wanted.

The billions dollar establishment was spacious. It had an indoor bar, a terrace, an outdoor swimming pool, some exclusive kinks room, a few luxurious VIP and VVIP rooms, and a lounge facing a floor-to-ceiling window with a picturesque view of Tokyo skyline. But Tao didn't have to check every single room there. He knew where he would find whom he was looking for. Without hesitation, he strode towards the bar that was located in the middle of the first floor, approaching a lone figure sitting on the leather bar stool.

"Bad day?" Tao asked the young master, not bothering to start with any proper greeting. It was his special privilege as the twins' mentor. He had changed their diapers when they'd been babies, spanked each of them at least once in their life, and witnessed a few of their most embarrassing moments as they grew up. So, why should he bother using formal greeting now?

Rikiya didn't reply. Instead, the boy drank his vodka in a single gulp before putting his now empty glass down on the bar counter. Considering the almost empty bottle near the boy, it was not Rikiya's first glass. And most probably, it wouldn't be his last tonight.

"In case you forgot, you are still a minor," Tao reminded his mentee calmly, taking a seat next to the boy.

"So?" Rikiya chuckled as if Tao had just told him one of the funniest joke in mankind history. "Compared to other illegal things I've done in my life, I am sure the public prosecutor will overlook me drinking a few bottle of liquor. He will have enough to give me a life sentence without adding this petty crime to the already long list."

Indeed, it was true. As Asami Ryuichi's first-born son, Asami Rikiya had done much worse crimes than a mere underage drinking. Well, Nao-kun didn't get a more innocent childhood than his older brother's. But being the youngest child until Mizuki-chan'd came to the family meant that everyone was more lenient towards Nao than Rikiya.

Tao wasn't worried though. In the unlikely event of Rikiya being dragged into the court, no one would be able to prove Rikiya's involvement in any of their dirty businesses. As their mentor, Tao had made sure of that.

"As an adult, I still have the responsibility to remind you, boy," Tao replied casually, pouring himself a few fingers of vodka into his own glass. He sipped his drink slowly. The pricey liquor burnt its way down his throat. The aroma itself told Tao that Rikiya had opened one of their best bottle in order to get drunk. Not that losing a bottle of expensive vodka would matter to Sion Group. A few hundreds dollar hardly made any difference. But it was an obvious sign of how upset the boy truly was.

"I'm not a _boy_," his boss' son grumbled.

"Oh sure, Rikiya-sama," Tao said in a tone that clearly showed he was just indulging Rikiya's stubbornness. "I am sure everyone will agree that a fifteen years old is no longer a boy. The government must be an idiot to forbid a fifteen years old to get married without parental consent."

Tao was mocking and Rikiya knew that. The boy stood abruptly in anger, which was apparently a very bad idea. Tipsy as he was, the usually composed boy tumbled clumsily. Luckily, Tao managed to catch him even though the only reason Tao did that was because Akihito would be upset to see Rikiya with a head injury. Otherwise, Tao would gladly let the boy suffer a bit of pain. It was a small revenge for forcing Tao to get out of his comfy bed at this ungodly hour.

The ungrateful brat, however, pushed Tao away.

"Are you here to insult me, Liu Tao?" The question was quick and sounded more like a growl than a human word, a definite sign of Rikiya's fury. Tao had spent almost half of his life with the twins that he could easily recognise their different moods by now. Unlike Nao, Rikiya usually was good in controlling and hiding his emotion, just like his father. But obviously, Rikiya's day was bad enough that a simple teasing could ruffle his feathers. Or perhaps the boy just had drunk one too many.

Instead of reacting to the boy's anger, Tao simply shrugged. "I'm here to remind you that being a fifteen years old boy has its own privilege. At least, I believe it gives you the right to refuse carrying the burden of the whole world on your shoulders."

Rikiya snorted. "Not the whole world. Just the entire organisation."

"Sion Group will survive even without you marrying Takamiya's daughter. No one, not even Asami-sama, is expecting you to sacrifice your life and future for the organisation."

"Oh, it will survive, of that I am sure. But not without a huge loss. You know that, Tao. Even with Baishe by our side, the Takamiyas can still do enough damage. We already lost a few of our routes to them within a mere two months, and we can't afford to lose more," Rikiya replied wearily. "And despite her low intelligence, Takamiya Suzu is extremely beautiful. She is shallow beyond reason, that's for sure, but at least she is easy on the eyes. The sex won't be that bad. There must be a lot of worse things in this world than marrying such a girl."

Silently, Tao observed the young master. It was strange how different Rikiya and Nao were. Not in their physical appearance, of course. The twins looked exactly the same that it was almost impossible to differentiate the two of them as long as they stayed quiet. But once they talked or acted, people would know right away which one was who.

Rikiya was calm and quiet. He rarely displayed his true feeling in front of other people, preferring to hide behind an impassive mask. Some people might say that the boy didn't have any emotion at all. But Tao knew that there were actually things in this world that could put some expressions on Rikiya's face: Akihito, Mizuki-chan, and a mind-blowing sex with a beautiful girl.

Despite Rikiya's lack of reaction to almost everything on earth, Tao had found out years ago that the oldest of the Asami brothers was very manipulative and sly. The boy would make damn sure to get what he wanted, no matter how. There was time when Akihito had asked Tao's help to pick the twins up from kindergarten. Tao had found Rikiya standing silently at the corner of his classroom, observing his peers while the other toddlers fought for an extra dessert. Knowing Nao would cause ruckus whenever the younger boy was bored waiting, Tao had gone to fetch Nao first. When he'd finally came back to get Rikiya, Nao chatting animatedly in Tao's arms, he'd found Rikiya sitting calmly at his little desk, eating the extra dessert his friends had fought for just minutes before and ignoring the envy stare other kids had thrown his way.

Tao shook his head while remembering various proofs of Rikiya's manipulative traits over the years. Indeed, Rikiya's shrewdness was an exact replica of Asami-sama. Most of the times, whatever Rikiya said, it had been calculated thoroughly. The kid loved to be a few steps ahead from his rivals and enemies and he wouldn't act without considering every aspect of the situation.

Nao, in the other hand, was cheerful and full of spirit. The younger of the Asami brothers loved to smile and laugh. Tao swore that those bright smiles of Nao contained a spell of some sort. Because whenever Nao smiled, Akihito would agree to anything the kid said, Asami-sama would soften, and Tao….well, he felt warm and content whenever he saw those smiles. In a way, Nao reminded Tao of Akihito. And Tao had to admit that he got a real soft spot for Nao, just like he had one for Akihito.

But every now and then, Tao would get a glimpse of the other side of Nao and he would remember that Nao could be even more frightening than his brother. If Rikiya remained stoic when he killed, Nao smiled whenever he delivered his blow. Sometimes, as a part of their mentoring, Tao would watch from a hidden corner as Nao interrogated an unlucky jerk or traitor. And god, the way the boy smiled like an innocent angel before he made his prisoner screamed in extreme pain, begging for mercy that would never come; it was so hot that Tao always thought he could come in his pants. Shit, thinking about that gave Tao a boner already. He sighed, stilling his body to calm down by sheer will only.

Without any doubt, the twins were incredibly smart. But Rikiya is especially exceptional. Asami-sama had asked Tao to teach his oldest son on how to manage a few of their business routes a few years back. Tao had hesitated in the beginning, believing that the boy had been too young to understand. But it was Asami-sama's order and Tao wouldn't disobey Asami-sama, so he'd taught Rikiya everything that he'd knew. Surprisingly, despite his young age, Rikiya had proven his skill and capability, easily gaining his father's trust to give him more control over Sion group. The boy was sharp and he had managed to increase their profits in less than two years. It wasn't much, but considering Rikiya's young age, it was a very good start.

Rikiya's logical prediction of their future loss due to Takamiya's aggressive moves was just another proof of his talent. And in spite of their current situation, Tao felt proud of his young pupil. "Your father will not let the Takamiyas causing much damage," Tao debated even though he knew that there was only so much Asami-sama could do at the moment.

Thanks to the latest anti-organised crime movement, business was going down. Their clients, mostly the foreign syndicates, underground business leaders, and yakuza families, were going to jail one by one. And the politicians who had backed them up were too scared of the public eyes to make any move. It was strange how the authorities seemed to know their every contacts. There were too many coincidences over the last few months that every group with illegal activities in Japan had started to believe they had a mole. The question was, who? It wasn't easy to find it without causing a disorder in the organisation.

As the second biggest group after Sion, the Takamiya Group had suffered a more or less similar fate, though not as fatal as what Sion Group had gone through. Takamiya had lost one or two of their business partners and closed down a few of their operations to avoid the authorities' suspicion, but nothing else. And now, Takamiya was trying to take advantage of the chaotic situation by taking over Sion Group's business routes while everyone was practically defenceless.

"Father will do anything in his power to stop the Takamiyas; anything except asking me to marry Takamiya Suzu to seal our partnership with them. We all know that the Takamiyas isn't our real enemy at the moment, Tao. Without this partnership, sooner or later, they will be pushed to a corner just like us. But this agreement will save us both. Once everything calms down, we can always eliminate the Takamiyas. It is a stupid move not to take it. Father is being too considerate of me and that is why I am going to ask him to accept Takamiya's proposal out of my own freewill. Otherwise, father must declare a war with the Takamiyas and blood will be spilled. We can't risk that, not at the moment when there were people in the government trying to destroy father."

"Just last night, your father told me he would prefer to start a war than selling his own son to the wolves," the older man said calmly. "Besides, how will you explain all this to Akihito? Your dad will kill your father if he find out Asami-sama putting you in a loveless business marriage."

Rikiya gave him a slow wicked smile. "And that is where father is wrong, Tao. No one is going to sell me to any wolf. The Takamiyas is the one who is inviting a wolf into their house. And let me be damned if I don't use this opportunity to stop them from being a thorn in our side. They need this partnership as much as we do. We are going to be the one who set the terms and conditions. And before they can blink, I will take over everything that they have. As for my dad, he'll listen to anything Nao says. And Nao'll listen to anything you say. Problem solved."

Tao sighed. If there was any difference between Rikiya and his father, it was the lack of wisdom that filled Asami-sama's eyes; something that Tao knew could only be acquired by age and experience. There were times when Rikiya was way too overconfident and it often led the Asami heir to underestimating the situation. "Careful, brat. You are playing a very dangerous game here."

The young boy snorted. "You taught us to set ourselves on fire to reach success, Tao. Now you told me not to? It seems you are growing weak with age."

Tao didn't show any reaction to the obvious provocation. He merely stared at the boy without saying anything for a few long minutes. Those pure black eyes were filled with silent warning.

"What?!" the boy snapped at him. "It is true!"

"You are obviously too drunk to think clearly, Rikiya-sama," Tao answered calmly instead, addressing the boy with fake politeness to show his displeasure of Rikiya's attitude. "Please allow me to drive you home before you make a fool of yourself."

"I am not-"

"Home," Tao said icily. "Or I will turn you over my knee and treat you like a child, as you deserve after this childish behaviour. You are better than this, Rikiya-sama."

His calm fury stilled the boy. Tao had been their mentor for years and Rikiya had learnt by now when to not testing Tao's patience.

Rubbing his temple wearily, Rikiya slowly stood, still managed to look tall and proud despite being clearly drunk, then nodded. "Fine. Home. But you know that I am right."

_Geez, this cockiness must be genetic_, Tao thought bitterly. _The Asami men just have to be right all the time or the world won't be allowed to sleep._

"Oh, you are right, Rikiya-sama, as always," Tao said cooly as he led the boy to the lift. "Indeed, a partnership with Takamiya is our best bet right now. You, I, and your father know it. Even Nao knows it though he hates the idea. But arrogance will only lead you to disaster. If we have to play with fire, we are going to do it with elegance. Remember, the one who will get burnt won't be you, brat. It is your dad who will cry like there is no tomorrow if something bad ever happens to you or your brother. Or have you forgot your father's warning a few nights ago?"

His logical argument stopped the young boy from spouting more nonsense. For a while, no one said anything else and they walked in silence through the empty parking area.

"I told dad that I am going to stay at your place tonight," the boy suddenly sounded so young, as he always did whenever Akihito was involved. It was amazing how Akihito could turn both brothers into the children that they were simply by appearing in a conversation.

Tao didn't bother to look over his shoulder as he replied, "I know. Your brother came to my place looking for you. That is why I am here. He must be waiting for us anxiously at my place by now. Oh, by the way, next time you need me to cover your lie, please tell me beforehand so I can prepare myself. You're lucky it wasn't your dad looking for you. You know how hard it is for me to lie to your dad."

Tao lived a few blocks from the Asamis' mansion in Denenchofu. He'd bought the luxurious apartment when Asami-sama had decided to move to a bigger place after an incident involving the 3-years old Rikiya and Asami-sama's spare beretta. The apartment was located in a different building from Kirishima's and Suoh's. Tao preferred it that way because it gave him more privacy, which was also the reason why the twins loved to hide in his apartment whenever they run away from home.

"Tao-niisan?"

"Hmm?" Tao murmured absentmindedly as he unlocked his Ferrari.

"I always want to ask you this…but, well, I can't find the right moment to ask. So, I guess, now is as good as ever." The boy paused in hesitation, causing Tao to frown momentarily. What was it that made the emotionless Rikiya so worried?

"Do you love my dad? I meant, romantically? Not just as best friend. To me, it seems you always put my dad above anything else." The boy kept his tone casual, as if he just asked about the weather. But Tao could hear the nervousness carefully hidden beneath the calm facade.

The unexpected question stilled Tao's hands for a brief second. Then, he sighed in resignation and simply answered, "There were times when I thought that I loved him as a man. But over the years, that feeling has softened into something else. Now, I _mostly_ see him as the brother that I have never had. Your dad is happy with what he has, Rikiya, and that is the most important thing to me." Quietly, Tao stared at the boy before added dangerously, "Do you have problem with that, boy?"

"No. No problem at all," Rikiya answered quickly. "I am just curious. And I promise I won't say a word about it to anyone. But, Tao-niisan, uh, does dad know about your, umm, feeling?"

Tao raised his eyebrow at the young Asami. "Don't act stupid. It doesn't fit you. Do you think your father will let me live if I have the slightest intention to confess my feeling to your dad? I may love your dad, but my loyalty will always be for Asami-sama. I owe your father not only my life but also my father's, and confessing my love to his lover will be the worst betrayal ever. Some doors are meant not to be opened, Rikiya. One day, you…," Tao paused before added carefully, "…_and_ _your brother_ will also understand the truth behind the saying."

The boy seemed to understand the double-meaning behind his answer because Rikiya stared at him thoughtfully.

"Now, move, brat. Get in the car. You have school in a few hours and you can't skip it today. Your dad is going to meet the headmaster to discuss your sweet little business. Both you and your twin are better be there when he does that or I'll kick your sorry asses. I just hope that you and Nao have everything taken care of. Otherwise, your father won't be the only one you need to answer to. You are almost an adult now, but I can still beat the two of you senseless if needed."

* * *

"The kids aren't home?" Asami's voice came from behind, startling me. I was just about to pour boiling water into his morning cup of tea and I almost dropped the kettle.

"Geez, you scared me."

He gave me his dazzling smile. "Sorry," he murmured.

Just waking up, Asami was bare-chested, wearing only loose silk pants. I stole a glance at the sexy masculine curve of his torso and abs as he walked towards me. The way he strode reminded me of a panther, so regal and full of arrogance. The expensive fabric hugged those long powerful legs perfectly, silhouetting a telltale sign of his morning wood.

Some men grew sexier as they got older. Like a fine wine, people said, they just got better and better. Asami was one of those lucky men. Unlike most men, his body was still as fit as ever; his broad shoulders didn't sag even a bit, his arms and thighs bulged with pure muscles, his chest was rock hard, and his six-packs stomach didn't show any sign of potbelly. Apparently, not even age could defeat the great Asami Ryuichi. Not even a bit.

Instead, age had polished him. It added a different level of depth in those golden eyes, making it glowed with hidden amusement every time he made a slow smile, as if he knew something that we didn't just because we were babies in his eyes. Those amber orbs screamed his experience with the world, sending silent warning to his allies and rivals, wordless promises to those men and women who stared at him with blatant desires in their eyes, and wisdom and love to those whom he cared for.

Asami circled his arms around my waist as he nuzzled into the small space between my neck and shoulder. His bare chest felt warm against my back. Slowly, he rubbed his morning wood against the crease between my ass cheeks. "Hmm, you smell really good, Akihito."

"Stop it, Ryu." I tried to wriggle my way out of his embrace, but he held me still. Quickly, I put the kettle down before I accidentally poured boiling water all over us. "This is early morning, bastard!"

"Hmm, it's early morning, that's why I have _this_ _huge problem_," he ground his enormous erection against me. His tongue made a wet trail from my ear to my jaw. His hands started to roam and grope, leaving my body on fire wherever he had touched. When he finally cupped my cock, it sent an instant shiver down my spine. "Oh, it seems you have similar _problem_," he feigned a surprise, grinning like the cat that ate the canary.

I had to admit that he got me excited. But no way I would submit without at least giving a fight. I tried to take his hands off of me, but it had the same effect as if I was trying to move a thick brick wall. This was truly unfair! I was younger than him by more than 10 years. Surely it should give me an advantage in term of physical strength. But apparently, Asami didn't get any weaker even as he grew older.

He massaged my cock leisurely, moving his palm in long and deliberate strokes that he knew I liked. I moaned. Oh, that was too damn good. I didn't even realise that my traitorous body had started to move in rhythm with his movement until I heard his chuckle.

"Shut up," I snapped at him.

"Should I stop?" Raising his eyebrow, he gave me a sly smile, daring me to tell him to stop. Amusement was clear in his voice.

At the moment, though, I was past the point of no return. And he fucking knew it. "I'll kill you if you stop now, Ryu!"

He laughed. I turned my body around to face him, resting my cheek on his chest and enjoying the rumbling of his mirth. It was great to have the kids away every once in a while. It gave us time to enjoy our togetherness, something that we had less and less nowadays.

"So, where are our children?" He asked while massaging my dick, causing my brain to short-circuit. His hand slipped inside the waistband of my jeans, straight to the inside of my underwear. He curled his fingers around the smooth skin of my hard cock and I literally lost my mind. It took time for me to notice that he had asked me a question.

"Umm, what?"

"Our children, Akihito. We have three of them, remember?" he repeated slower, teasing. "Where are they?"

Smart ass. But at the moment, I was willing to answer anything as long as he continued doing what he was doing.

"Nao and Rikiya are at Tao's. He'll send them-aaahh-to school," I stopped and closed my eyes as he squeezed my erection just the right way. Instinctively, I opened the button of my jeans, giving him more space to move around and hoping to have more skin-to-skin contact with him. "Mizuki-"

He pulled off my tank top, dropping it on the floor without any care. His mouth sucked the skin on my neck as he pressed into me, trapping me between the counter and his muscular body. His other hand pinched my nipple, causing me to squirm in need. All while rubbing my erection leisurely. Fuck, how did he expect me to think with all these amazing sensations?

"Mizuki…?" He asked again, his voice low and husky.

I swallowed before hurriedly answered, "She has morning practice with her piano teacher! Suoh sent her to school just a few minutes ago. Now, stop talking, more action!"

"So demanding, aren't you?" He teased, snickering at my insisting whimper, but thankfully he continued his heavenly assault.

He leaned down and gave me a kiss that's closer to brutal than passionate, marking me as his, like a hunter marking its target. His other hand closed into a strong fist at the base of my neck, pressing us together. His tongue invaded my mouth and his weight kept me still in my place. He placed his knees between mine, forcing me to spread my legs for him. Strangely, his domineering attitude comforted me. It was something familiar. It reminded me of the knowledge that for him, I was his first before everything else.

As he licked his way down my neck, I tilted my head back, baring my neck and unconsciously offering myself for him. He smirked; it was a slow smile that made him look even sexier, like a predator that knew it had cornered its prey. And damn, I didn't mind him eating me alive.

"Mine," he practically purred next to my ear, earning another moan out of my mouth.

The rest of my clothes were quickly discarded. He lifted me up off the floor as if I weighed no more than a child and laid my naked body on top of the kitchen counter. Talk about hygiene. I would need to disinfect the whole thing again once we were done. But right now, I couldn't give a damn. It had been weeks since we had been together. And I missed my husband.

"Shit, lube," he muttered.

"Oil," I quickly suggested, grabbing a bottle of olive oil nearby and passing it over to him.

Asami grinned, opened the bottle, and poured a generous amount all over his fingers and cock. He trailed his fingers across my chest, down to my stomach, tracing his way south until he found my dripping cock. He gently squeezed my ball, one at a time, and then moved to the puckering hole below. I sucked in deep breath.

The slickness helped him to slide his fingers in. He played his fingers skilfully inside me, making a scissoring gesture to relax my muscle. When he finally pressed that hidden spot deep inside me, I cried. Incomprehensible sounds fell from my mouth, urging –begging– him to fill me with something bigger.

He spread my legs even further apart, putting it over his shoulders before placing his erection at my entrance. He gave me one last kiss, sucking my tongue with such passion until it bordered pain. Then, with a steady pace, he pushed his cock into my waiting hole. I had expected him to slam into me in one hard thrust, but instead, he swirled the tip of his cock around, teasing me slowly before pulling all the way out.

I whined in protest.

"Patience, Akihito," he smirked. "And here I thought you will like a bit of foreplay."

I couldn't find any words to answer. Human speech had lost its meaning in my brain as everything in me focused on the sensations he gave me. Instead, I sank my fingers into his black hair, straddling my legs around his lean waist and pulling him as close as possible towards me. He gasped and closed his eyes as his cock touched my asshole; the friction almost sent me over the sharp edge of orgasm.

"Fuck," he said. He shifted my hips carefully, then pushed his way in, slow and guided until the tip of his cock breached the ring of my muscle.

"Faster, Ryu." I pushed to make him move quicker. "I can't hold it in any longer."

He looked up at me, tilted his head before smiling slowly. "Oh? But you will."

Cruelly, he squeezed the base of my cock, his fingers mimicking a cock ring to hold me back. I cried as he slammed hard into me. I wanted to come and yet, I couldn't. It was painful till tears filled my hazel eyes but it was also hot. I loved it when Asami showed his domination over me. Not that I would ever admit it.

My body instinctively moved along with him, meeting him thrust by thrust. The lewd sounds our body made filled the kitchen. It was hard and before long, his hold on my cock felt too painful to bear.

"Ryu, can't…" I cried. "Please…oh, please….let me come…"

He gave me one last kiss before releasing his hold. I screamed at the top of my lungs. White light covered my vision as I come. I practically stopped breathing for a few seconds when his warm cum filled my insides. My muscle spasmed around him, milking his cock to the last drop.

We stayed still as the glow of orgasm overwhelmed both of us. My legs trembled. It felt like jelly and only his grip on my waist kept me from falling to the floor.

"What's your plan for today?" He asked casually when he finally pulled out of me, holding me close to keep me standing.

"I am going to meet the twins' headmaster today," I told him.

For a brief second, he had this worried look on his handsome face, something that Asami rarely made. My heart felt for him.

_My poor Ryu_, I thought as I caressed his back lovingly. _He is really proud of the twins that he must feel offended by the accusation. Hopefully, my meeting with the headmaster today will clear everything up. Someone wants to put the blame on the twins for crimes they didn't do and I will never, ever, let it slide._

* * *

"I am truly very sorry for this misunderstanding, Asami-san," the headmaster ended his short speech while bowing so low till I wondered how he could do that without toppling over. Murmuring countless apologies, the fat man also dragged Kato-sensei to bow in front me and the young woman did so unwillingly.

"To be honest, I still can't understand it, Hayakawa-sensei," I told him. "Let me summarised what you told me just now. So, Kato-sensei changed her mind because apparently the girl who claimed to be raped had lied about the whole thing? Do your teachers make it a habit to accuse students without checking everything first?"

I felt Nao gently tugged my arm. "Dad, it is okay-"

"No, it is not okay, Nao," I told him sternly. "That is not how an educator should act. How can I trust you to teach my children when you act so irresponsible like this?!"

"You know what, Asami-san?!" Kato-sensei finally opened her mouth after staying silent through the entire meeting. Her eyes were bright with anger and her tone was strained. She was shorter than me, but her fury somehow made her look bigger than she really was. "You don't have to worry about how my attitude is going to affect this stupid school's credibility because I qu-"

Suddenly, she froze as she stared at something behind me. Her face paled until it matched her pure white blouse. She lost her voice and merely stood there, her jaw hanging open in shock or fear, I wasn't sure. It was just a few brief seconds, then slowly, she closed her mouth.

Something was wrong. I frowned at her odd behaviour before turning around to look behind my back.

Nothing.

The entire room looked as normal as ever. There were just Rikiya and Nao, staring back at me with the same confusion as mine in their hazel eyes. Perhaps, Kato-sensei had seen something through the window behind my kids?

I turned my attention back to Kato-sensei. But she didn't held her head up proudly like before. Instead, her body sagged in defeat as she looked at the floor near my feet. Nervously, she kept squeezing her other hand, her body shivering slightly as if she felt cold.

What was going on here?

"Kato-sensei? Is something wrong? I think you make my dad confused," Rikiya asked evenly from behind me.

"Well, she made _everyone_ so confused, to be honest," Nao added playfully, as usual.

"Nao, respect your elder," I chastised him.

"I am sorry, dad, sensei," Nao quickly muttered under his breath but I didn't even look at him over my shoulder.

Indeed, I was confused at how quick this new teacher changing her mind. She had seemed so sure when I'd talked to her last week. And now she easily agreed that everything had to be a mistake? Not that I had believed anything she had said even for a moment, but her entire behaviour just didn't make any sense. I had interviewed more people than I could count during my time as investigative photographer that I could sense when someone was trying to hide something.

_Especially, if that person is trying to hide something that is really bad,_ my gut whispered at me. But what was it? What did I miss here?

The headmaster quickly cleared his throat. "I am sure what Kato-sensei meant to say is that she's going to be more careful from now on, Asami-san. Kato-sensei is young and inexperienced. She didn't know how things work over here. She easily trusted the students, even those who lied to her. But I assure you that we have disciplined those irresponsible students who made the false claim. This incident won't happen again."

Had I told you how good I was at pretending now? The good thing about being good at pretending was that I usually could recognise it when someone was pretending in front of me. I could even see through a few of Asami's _white lies_ (as Asami had claimed it when I had confronted him) and heaven knew my husband was an expert at pretending.

So, yeah, I knew that Hayakawa-sensei had lied and he didn't even do a good job at it.

But, what was it that he'd lied about?

"Fine," I told the headmaster. "I'll take your words for now, Hayakawa-sensei."

"Thank you, Asami-san," the fat man bowed to me repetitiously, "Again, we are very sorry for this unfortunate incident."

Quickly, I stopped him before he got injured from bowing so many times. "No, I thank you for investigating this issue further, Hayakawa-sensei, and also for clearing my sons' name. I really appreciate it."

I stole a glance at Kato-sensei but the young woman didn't even look at us. She just stood there silently, a dark expression in her face as if she wanted to kill someone. Something told me that this young woman was the key of all the mystery. Hayakawa-sensei had lied to save her. But to save her from what? And what did she do that she needed to hide?

Secretly, I made a plan to investigate the twins' new teacher.

* * *

"We must agree that you didn't do such a good job in front of my dad, did you, Kato-sensei?" Rikiya asked the young woman who was sitting in front of him. Leisurely, he brushed his forefinger against the woman's sharp cheekbones, creating a ghostly trail to her jaw. His teacher shivered at his touch, but she looked back at him with cold determination in her eyes.

The woman was quite pretty, Rikiya admitted it. But she wasn't really his type. _Her hair was too dark_, he concluded silently. _And her eyes were black, too. Boring._

Rikiya had found out long time a go that he was always attracted to women with nearly blond hair and light coloured eyes. It would be better if the woman was smart with a strong personality. _Someone like dad_, he added silently. _Someone who can be my partner just like what dad is to father. _

He had dreamed a relationship full of love, just like the one his parents had. But with Takamiya's proposal looming over him, he knew a loving and passionate relationship wasn't for him. _Pity_, he thought calmly, resigning to the idea of a loveless marriage already. _But I can still have mistresses, if I so choose, so perhaps l shouldn't give up hope yet._

Anyway, the stupid teacher had almost made a mistake by blurting nonsense to his dad. But, Rikiya'd predicted such thing might happen. He had silently mouthed the name of Kato-sensei's younger sister behind his dad's back and, thankfully, it was enough to get the woman under his control once again.

"You are lucky my dad decided to let it go, sensei," he added thoughtfully. His emotionless expression was a perfect replica of Asami's usual mask of calmness. "Otherwise, I will have to pay Sayo-chan a visit and we both don't want me to waste anymore of my precious family time on your sister, do we?"

* * *

Asami-sama was talking to Akihito on the phone when Tao entered his room. He quietly walked inside and stood patiently in front of the dark mahogany desk, waiting for Asami-sama to finish the call.

"Of course, Akihito. I am glad that the headmaster already cleared everything, as he should be."

Ah, so the twins had settled everything. That was a relief. Deep down inside, Tao felt proud of his mentees.

There was silence as Asami-sama listened to Akihito carefully, but then his boss frowned and continued, "Akihito, I don't think-"

Hmm, that didn't sound good. _What else did the twins do now? I swear if they cause any more trouble for__ Akihito, I__'__ll__-_

But his train of thought was interrupted by Asami-sama's answer to Akihito, "Akihito, what do you mean 'the new teacher is hiding something'? You are imagining things. If you can just stop for a moment and listen to yourself, you will realize how irrational what you told me is. This is not a late night TV drama." Asami-sama kept his tone light as if he was just teasing Akihito about some trivial things.

There was a loud reply on the other side of the phone call. Tao couldn't grasp what Akihito said to his boss. But Asami-sama scowled unpleasantly so the answer had to be bad.

"What? Do you seriously think there is a kind of criminal syndicate hiding inside the school and she is the key for you to find it out? Are you out of your mind? It is a high school, Akihito. Not the parliament," Asami-sama mocked casually, his boss' voice a complete contrast with the thunderous expression. Tao thanked all the gods for his boss' ability to stay cool at all times.

Well, theoretically speaking, there was indeed an amateurish criminal syndicate hiding inside the school and the twins were its leader. But it was something Akihito could never find out.

"That was one of the best private high school in Japan, Akihito. They have the best teachers. Surely things like that will be found out soon. Stop blabbering nonsense. Do you realize that you are spouting the same nonsense as that new teacher?"

There was a brief pause. But the reply wasn't as loud as before. Hopefully, that would mean that Asami-sama had managed to calm Akihito down. As an ex-investigative photographer, Akihito had a surprisingly good instinct for finding criminal activities. Something that could be very troublesome at times.

As Asami-sama tried to distract Akihito from investigating further, Tao silently prayed that Akihito would listen to his boss just this once. "Yes, Akihito, I really think so. You are bored because lately your projects are kinda slow. That's why you turned _everything_ into a sort of criminal investigation. Now, enough of this high-school-syndicate nonsense. Please tell me we are _not _going to have dinner with your parents next week. Kirishima told me you just arranged everything without telling him. He complained, you see. I have a meeting scheduled and most probably it will go on till late night."

Tao exhaled a relief breath. Well, it seemed Asami-sama had managed to stop Akihito. At least, for now. There were a few more minutes of Asami-sama talking totally domestic bullshit to take Akihito's mind from the new teacher issue before the call finally ended.

"Do you think he will really let it go?" Tao asked carefully. He had no doubt Asami-sama could manipulate anyone into thinking whatever Asami-sama wanted them to think. But Akihito was always a wild card, something that they could never predict. It was just one of Akihito's charm that made Tao felt…well, _fond _of Akihito.

Asami-sama let out a weary sigh. "I highly hope so but I doubt it. He wouldn't get into so many troubles if he could learn to let his suspicion go. It's fine. Just make sure to arrange tons of projects for him discreetly. It will distract him till he won't have time to even think to investigate this new teacher. And tell someone to follow him, just in case he is still thinking to stick his nose where it doesn't belong."

Tao sighed as he nodded. "Consider it done, Asami-sama," he bowed low in respect to his boss. "Anything else, Sir?"

"No, that is all for now."

Somehow, Tao couldn't stop a feeling that this was a start of another problem. Hopefully, though, his boss was right and everything would be fine.


	5. Chapter 5 Pandora Box

**Hi all,**

**This is a short chapter compared to the usual. But I hope you will enjoy it. Please, please, let me know what you thought. Even if you just want to protest, it will help me to improve. :D**

**Disclaimer : VF belongs to YA. And grammar problem, as usual.**

* * *

**Chapter 5. Pandora Box**

The gagging sounds had woken Asami up since it'd started. He'd tried to ignore it, thinking that it would quiet down after a while. Apparently, it didn't. So, he finally decided to wake up and checked on it. He couldn't continue sleeping with all the noise, anyway.

The bedside lamps provided a gentle ambient light to the entire bedroom. Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, however, Tokyo was still engulfed by darkness. It was a cloudy night and not even the moon showed up to offer additional light.

He threw a glance at his watch, which he'd put carefully beside the lamp, and noticed that it was 4am in the morning, way too early for him to wake up. Yet, he put on his silk pajamas robe, and then strode towards the master bathroom.

"Are we going to have another child?" he teased as he walked into the bathroom. His infamous smirk decorated his handsome face.

Inside, Akihito was sitting on the floor, clutching the toilet bowl like it was his lifeline as he vomited into the toilet. Tears filled Akihito's hazel eyes as he tried to catch his breath.

Asami always thought that a crying Akihito was a sexy Akihito. Even after all those years, his desire for Akihito hadn't burnt-out at all. If it was possible, his passion had grown stronger than ever. However, unlike the beginning of their relationship, it wasn't Akihito's body that attracted him the most now, although Akihito was still as hot and attractive as when Akihito was in his mid twenties. It was Akihito's character and personality that had deepened his love. After a decade of marriage, Akihito had become an inseparable part of Asami. Akihito completed him. His soul mate, one might say. And Asami would do anything to keep it that way.

"I don't mind another girl," Asami continued with a sly smile. "Surely, Mizuki-chan will love to have a sister. But a boy will be fun, too. You can-"

"Shut the fuck up, bastard!" The answer came up in a growl.

"Oh, you have started to become hormonal already?" He chuckled, surprising himself by how much he loved the idea of having Akihito pregnant with his child. _If only_, he thought grimly. It would be great to be able to impregnate Akihito and truly have their own child. He knew that it was impossible, though. Yet, he couldn't help but to entertain himself by teasing his husband.

"I feel really sick," Akihito whined.

"I know, dear. It is called morning sickness," he cooed, massaging the back of Akihito's neck gently.

Akihito threw a roll of toilet paper towards him weakly. He merely stepped aside to avoid it. Hmm, Akihito had to be truly sick if that was the best his husband could do to kick his ass. Perhaps, it was time to stop teasing Akihito and take this seriously.

"I will call the doctor," he said after another round of Akihito puking, but Akihito quickly shook his head.

"I want to go to the hospital. Now."

He frowned. "Are you that sick? We can't go to emergency room just because-"

"I feel that sick, you bastard! And I know we don't have to go to the ER; it is your hospital, anyway!"

Well, it was true.

Now, he started to feel worried. And guilty. He shouldn't tease if Akihito really felt that sick. Fuck, he should have woken up the first time he had heard Akihito throwing up. However, years of controlling his emotions kicked in and he managed to stay calm.

"I will change my clothes, first, okay?" Asami told Akihito. He went to his closet and grabbed the first t-shirt he saw in his closet. It was one that Mizuki-chan had given him years a go, a stupid, cheesy couple t-shirt. Akihito had its match in his own closet. They had only worn it once, to entertain their daughter obviously, and they had agreed not to wear it ever again. It was way too embarrassing. But at the moment, Asami didn't give a damn.

He took his phone from his bedside table, pressing a speed-dial button he knew by heart. "Kirishima, call the hospital. Akihito is sick. Tell them we'll be there in half an hour. Prepare a room for him," he said in a rush. "No, I will just drive him there myself. You don't need to come pick us up. It is faster this way. Just meet us at the hospital directly."

"Ryu?" Akihito called shakily.

He quickly came to the bathroom, Akihito's jacket in his hand. "Are you okay?" He gently put the jacket around Akihito's shoulders.

"Can I have a glass of water, please?"

"Wait a minute," he answered quickly.

Asami took a detour on the way to the kitchen, knocking the twin and Mizuki's door to wake them up. He didn't want to leave without letting them know.

"Dad? Father?" Mizuki-chan asked as she rubbed her eyes sleepily. "What's up so early in the morning?"

Unlike Mizuki-chan, Nao and Rikiya had peeked carefully, trying to find out what had happened. They looked like they were expecting a gun in their face rather than their father. Asami couldn't blame them. It was 4AM in the morning and no one had expected a knock on his door. Asami couldn't see his sons' hands from the hallway, but he had no doubt they were both holding a gun.

Asami caressed Mizuki-chan's silky blond hair lovingly. His daughter was his treasure and he always treated her like a princess. Akihito always teased him about what he would do the day Mizuki-chan brought her boyfriend home. Truthfully, Asami had no idea. The first logical thing to do would be to ask Kirishima to do some background check. But if someone ever hurt his daughter or if he felt that the guy didn't deserve his daughter, he swore he would kill the guy there and then. "Your dad is sick, kiddos. I am going to bring him to the hospital now."

"What? What happened?" Nao asked quickly. "Is he OK? We'll come with you!"

"No, there is no need. You guys stay here with the little moon."

"But, father-" three voices started, chorusing a protest, something that they did very rarely to Asami, especially the twins.

"No," he said, finality clear in his voice. "You will need to go to school in a few hours. I just woke you up to let you know. Soga will send you to school later."

He narrowed his eyes at the twins. "Especially the two of you! You have things to take care of." He purposely stressed the last sentence to his sons, reminding them of the problem they had created at school.

The two of them flinched.

"What things?" Mizuki-chan asked innocently.

"Oh," Nao's voice was casual as he answered swiftly without missing a beat. "You know, little moon, just some extracurricular activities. Come on, Mizuki, let's see whether there is anything we can do for dad before father bring him to the hospital."

Asami can only shook my head as he watched his children go towards the master bedroom. Now, what was he supposed to do? Oh right, a glass of water. Not wanting to make Akihito wait any longer, he strode towards the kitchen to get his husband a glass of warm water as requested.

* * *

"Takaba?" An unfamiliar voice that called his husband made Asami frown. It had been a very long time since the last time he'd heard someone calling Akihito by his…well, let's just say, maiden name. And something in the tone the person had used as he'd called Akihito had grated on Asami's nerves.

"Nakano?" his husband greeted the person. Asami had never heard the name before but he quickly decided that he didn't like this person. And judging from Akihito's expression, this person wasn't Akihito's most favorite friend as well. Slowly, Asami turned around to get a better look at this unknown intruder.

"What are you doing here?" The person asked with an expression that plainly implied that he was surprised to meet Akihito in this fancy private hospital.

"What are you doing here?" Akihito replied, his voice clearly displaying his irritation to meeting the person. It was rare to see Akihito exhibiting such an obvious displeasure over someone. So, Asami couldn't help but to feel curious about who this person was.

"My wife has a nasty stomachache," Nakano grumbled. "I brought her to the ER and now she is okay. Then, the doctor said that it is better for her to stay the night for observation. You know, just in case it is serious. But, this stupid hospital doesn't have a suite room available!"

The receptionist behind the counter cowered, looking as if she would cry at any moment. Asami was sure that she had tried to placate Nakano for quite some time by now.

"Sir, we are very sorry. Our hospital is kind of full at the moment. But, I assure you that the room we have assigned for your wife is-"

Nakano slammed the table hard until the poor receptionist jumped in surprise. "An hour ago you told me that you have the room! Then, suddenly you said that it was taken and asked me to take a smaller room?! Are you kidding me?! Do you know who I am?!"

Akihito narrowed his eyes at Asami, raising his eyebrow and silently asking whether the unfortunate incident had happened because Akihito had suddenly wanted to go to the hospital. Asami merely shrugged. "Well, I did tell Kirishima to inform the hospital that we'll be here in half an hour and to prepare a room," he murmured to Akihito. And since he was the owner of the hospital, of course the hospital staffs would give the suite room for his husband instead. In fact, they shouldn't need to be here and register themselves like any normal patients. However, the doctor who should meet them was nowhere to be seen.

In front of the counter, Nakano was still screaming at the nurse. The lobby was mostly empty but there were still a few people lounging around, most probably family members of the inpatients. They were all looking at the ruckus by now, trying to figure out what was going. It was embarrassing and Asami seriously didn't have time for this kind of thing. He was opening his mouth to tell Nakano that he could just fucking go to another hospital but Akihito, even sick as he was, had already moved between Nakano and the trembling receptionist.

"Okay, Nakano, enough-" Akihito started.

"Asami-sama, Asami-san, I am so sorry for not greeting you at the entrance, but there was a patient who required my assistance," a doctor greeted them, stopping Nakano from continue screaming at the receptionist and Akihito from kicking Nakano's ass. Then, the doctor seemed to notice Akihito's murderous expression. She froze for a brief moment before asked, "Is everything okay here?"

"Asami-sama?" Nakano turned around when he'd heard the name being mentioned.

Ignoring Nakano completely, Asami answered the doctor instead, "Yes, everything is fine, Sensei. I am sure this gentleman won't cause any commotion and embarrass himself. And don't worry. We understand you have other patients to take care off. We shouldn't compromise a patient's health."

The doctor nodded, her face softened in relief. Obviously, she had thought that Asami would be difficult to handle and felt thankful that Asami understood.

She bowed in respect as she introduced herself. "I am Akiyama-sensei. I am the Chief of the Medical Staff and I will be the one to take care of Asami-san. Kirishima-san explained the situation briefly to me but I will still need to examine you myself, Asami-san."

Asami nodded in return. "Understandable, Sensei. It seems-"

"Did you mean Asami Ryuichi?"

Asami didn't like anyone to interrupt him when he was talking. So, the fact that Nakano had done so had increased his irritation towards the other guy.

"I am so sorry. But, are you Asami Ryuichi, CEO and owner of Sion Group?"

Asami exhaled loudly, trying to control his impatience. Akihito was sick and he wanted the doctor to quickly examine his husband. Here in the lobby, if needed. This delay annoyed him. So, he didn't even bother to turn around to face Nakano as he answered shortly, "I am."

Nakano gasped. "Oh, I didn't recognize you earlier. You don't look like the Asami Ryuichi that I imagined. Especially with that, umm, t-shirt."

Asami simply ignored the remarks. "So, Sensei, it seems Akihito has caught a virus and-"

"Akihito? Wait the minute, when you said Asami-san, do you all refer to…Takaba Akihito?"

Asami snapped, "I thought your wife is sick, Nakano-san?! I am sure she will want you by her side instead of here." _Minding other people__'__s business_, he wanted to add sarcastically but managed to stop himself.

"Oh, it is just stomach upset. I am sure she will be fine by herself for a few more minutes," Nakano answered with a disgusting smile, waving his hand to dismiss the concern. "Anyway, thank you for your concern, Asami-sama. It is so nice of you. I have heard a lot about you and it is an honour to finally meet the man himself."

Fortunately for Nakano, Akihito started to retch again before Asami could snap more at him. The doctor, thankfully, reacted quickly. She asked for a large metal bowl from a nurse nearby and offered it to Akihito. "Just vomit here, Asami-san. It is okay. No need to hold back," she said tenderly while massaging Akihito's nape.

Akihito vomited what looked like the entire content of his stomach. Once he was done, his husband could only lean on Asami's side, unable to support even his own weight. If only Asami didn't care about embarrassing Akihito in public (and in front of Nakano, whoever Nakano was), he would carry Akihito. Princess style, if necessary.

"Ryu…," Akihito sobbed.

"Bring the wheelchair here, please," Akiyama-sensei ordered the nurse.

A few minutes later, the nurse brought a wheelchair for Akihito. Carefully, Asami helped Akihito to settle in it. When Akihito was comfortable, Akiyama-sensei nodded. With a no-nonsense attitude, she led them to the examination room.

What Asami had missed as he accompanied Akihito, was the way Nakano had stared at them greedily, a knowing smile hanging on his lips.

* * *

"Well, you better be dying, Takaba," Mitarai sneered as he entered my hospital room. "I am a busy man and you asked me to visit you in the middle of a very important project."

I didn't even bother to look up from my laptop. "Stop complaining, Mitarai. You still owe me a favor. Remember the time I helped you during Kageyama case, the politician?"

"Tsk. You just have to mentioned it now, huh?"

Mitarai wasn't a nameless freelance journalist anymore. A few years after I'd quitted my job as investigative photographer, he'd landed himself a permanent position as journalist for criminal section in Mainichi Shimbun, one of Japan's most circulated newspapers. Since then, he'd published quite a number of publications that had dragged politicians and criminal leaders into jail. Then, three years ago, he'd been promoted to be the editor in chief.

Although I was no longer involved in criminal investigation, Mitarai and I still met over drinks from time to time. Sometimes, he asked my opinion about his projects, in which I didn't mind to help as long as it presented no risk to Asami. Mitarai was the one who had kept me well-informed about everything in the underground world, including Asami and his business, which was how I'd found out about Asami's conflict with the Takamiyas.

"Wait, give me five minutes while I am finishing this up," I told him as I finished off editing my photos for a foreign magazine. I had been very, very busy lately. Like crazily busy. Out of a sudden, almost every publisher in Japan came and asked me to help them with a project or two. I even needed to refuse a few to make sure I still had some family time with my children.

And being sick surely didn't help. The doctor had explained that I would need plenty of rest. Asami'd insisted for me to follow the good doctor's suggestion. Of course, I had argued. I couldn't imagine just laying in bed doing nothing for days. Hell, I would die out of boredom soon. Thank God, Asami and I had managed to make a compromise: I would be working in bed for a week. At least, I could work on some of my projects.

"So, what kind of sickness do you have?" Mitarai asked once I had completed editing the last of my photos. "Cancer? Tumor? Do I need to prepare a suit for your funeral soon? Damn, you are a lucky son of a bitch, do you know that, Takaba? Even when you are sick, your rich boyfriend could still get you the most expensive room in the best private hospital in Tokyo. Shit, man, this place is even bigger than my fucking flat!"

During the early years of my marriage, Mitarai had figured out my relationship with Asami. It hadn't been really shocking since Mitarai was a very good investigative journalist; it wouldn't take him long to find it out. Besides, me entering Asami's family registry was something that anyone could dig out if they looked in the right places. Asami and I had kept it low profile but it wasn't really a secret. Mitarai'd seemed cool about it and he'd even agreed to keep it quiet, which was more surprising than the fact that he had found out about our relationship. Considering what a materialistic person he was, I had expected that he would sell our story to the first gossip magazine he could find.

Mitarai paused as he looked over his shoulder, glancing at the closed hospital room door. "You even have your own bodyguards outside the door. I meant, seriously, who will want to kill you? Why can't I live a pampered life like you? Life is so unfair. You know-"

I cut him off before he started giving me the full list of how unfair life was to him. "To be honest, I am not. Thanks for your generous concern, man," I added sarcastically.

"What? You are not what?" He arched a brow.

"I am not sick anymore, Mitarai. And I am definitely not dying, so sorry about that," I told him the 'hard' truth. "I have been here for nearly a week! I am well now. Asami just wanted me to take plenty of rest; that is why I am still here. If it were up to me, I would be out of here the second I could walk by myself. Anyway, I called you because I need to talk with you. This is important and it can't wait until I get out of here."

"Seriously?" Mitarai sounded truly disappointed knowing that I wouldn't die anytime soon.

"Do I look like I am joking?" I asked him back, raising my brow in return. Seriously, the guy could be very annoying, sometimes.

"Why do you have to do that, man? Can't you find a cheaper and easier way to talk to me? Fuck, and here I am, spending almost half an hour visiting you because you said you were sick. Time is money, man! There is this technology called smartphone, you know it, right? It was invented a few years back by-"

"Smart ass. Now shut up and listen to me. Someone has been following me."

It stopped him from spouting nonsense. He frowned in disbelief as if I made it a habit to lie to him. "Really? Are you sure about this? Not just you being paranoid or something?"

"I am one hundred percent sure. I had noticed this man for days before I got sick with stomach flu. He was looking like an ordinary salary man and wearing cheap suit. I tried to get away from him, but he always found me. Then, yesterday, when I went to the hospital canteen –Hey, I am so sick of the food here!– I saw him there! I tell you, man, this guy is professional. I wouldn't even notice he was there following me if I didn't pay extra attention. It was truly a coincidence that I managed to catch a sight of him."

Mitarai's expression still showed his doubt. "Hmm, maybe it is your infamous lover? You know, you told me he has someone following you before."

"Yes, he did. But it was more than a decade ago, Mitarai. Before I entered his family registry. He hasn't done that for years. If he wants to know where I am, all he has to do is asking me. There is nothing that I hide from him. You know I'm not doing investigative photography anymore."

Mitarai snorted. "Sure, there is nothing you hide from him," he mocked because he knew it was sort of a lie. "How about when you helped me with Kageyama case? Did you tell him that? Or when you gave me information about Kogawa-gumi? Or-"

I gave him an exasperated sigh. "Fine. Fine. You made your point! I might have a few things that I didn't tell him. But it had nothing to do with him. I just helped you solving an investigation case with one photo or two."

Or perhaps a dozen. Or more. But what was the difference between one or a dozen photos, right? I just couldn't help it when I could easily get insight information from Asami's men. Of course, I did everything anonymously, with Mitarai's help, so it was completely safe. Theoretically.

Mitarai simply shrugged. "Once an investigative journalist, always an investigative journalist, Takaba."

"Anyway, it doesn't matter. I can never be sure that no one will eavesdrop if we talk through the phone. But whoever tailing me can never follow me into this room. Not with Asami's men outside."

Mitarai glanced around nervously. "You sure no one bug this room? Your rich boyfriend won't be happy to find out where your curiosity has led you up until now."

I beamed proudly. "Nah, I asked the nurse to move me to another room less than half an hour before you came. No one will have the time to bug the room and the nurse can't say no to me. I am the hospital owner's lover."

Mitarai grinned like the Cheshire cat. Rubbing his hand in excitement, he replied, "Fuck, you are really serious, aren't you? Fine. Who are we going to put in the front page of Mainachi Shimbun this time?"

"Well, it is just my gut feelings…," I started, feeling unsure whether I could trust Mitarai to do this.

"Your gut feelings have been proven to be right time and time again," Mitarai admitted.

"…fine, I need your help to investigate a high school teacher."

He literally screamed at me, "WHAT? Are you out of your mind?! You called me here to investigate a high school teacher?! Can't it be at least a celebrity or something?!"

Quickly, I put my forefinger in front of my mouth. "Ssshhh, keep it quiet, idiot! If you are that loud, the guards outside won't need to bug the room to listen to our conversation."

"Takaba, there is a limit to-"

"Listen, you owe me a favor, right? Just take this as paying your debt to me. I just have a feeling that there is something big behind this, Mitarai. Something really big. And as usual, you can take all the credit."

He frowned. "How big is big?" I could practically hear his brain calculating the profit he might earn if we ever found a big case. Mitarai didn't become the editor in chief of Mainichi Shimbun by being magnanimous. For him, everything was all about profit. If it gave him profit, he would go to hell and back just to get what he wanted.

I shrugged. "I am not sure. Told you, it is just my gut feelings."

Mitarai didn't reply immediately. Instead, he stared at me. There was this look in his black eyes; a gluttonous look that made me unable to fully trust him even after all these years.

"Fine," he said finally. "Let's do this. Give me the name of that teacher. But I'll tell you what, if later I find it to be nothing, you owe me one."

I simply nodded. "Deal." I gave him Sato-sensei name and description. Mitarai took note of everything. He even made sure he had written the name correctly twice.

I should feel excited as I usually felt whenever my instinct told me that I faced a big case. And yes, my gut feelings said that this was the beginning of something huge. Yet, something stirred in me, giving me an uncomfortable feeling and making me question myself: _did I just ask Mitarai to open a Pandora box?_

For once in my life, I was scared that I mightn't like the truth behind this case.


	6. Chapter 6 A Princess In The Making

Hi,

I am very very sorry for the slow update. The past half a year has been hard for me, with a beloved family member passing away and a messy separation in the family. Thankfully, everything gets better and hopefully it stays that way.

This is quite a long chapter and there will be only a small progress in the story itself. I am just trying to practice my writing again after the hiatus so please bear with me. This chapter is dedicated to those who asked how Mizuki had entered the family.

Hope you all enjoy it. Feedback and review will be very, very, very appreciated.

Disclaimer : VF belongs to YA. And grammar, as always. The quote is anonymous, I just used it because it fits Mizuki.

Cheers, Edana

* * *

**Chapter 6. A Princess In The Making**

"I am a princess not because I have a prince. But because my father is a King." - Mizuki, 10 years old

_The moment he saw her, Asami knew right away that she was perfect. She was barely six years old then, looking as beautiful and innocent as a real fairy princess with long blond hair and doe-like golden eyes. A bit too skinny, though. And, her porcelain skin was patched with bruises and scratches -his associate's men were people he wouldn't hire himself- but it was nothing his personal doctor couldn't fix. _

_She shyly hid behind her grumpy caretaker when he approached her. Her small pink lips curled into a pout that instantly reminded him of Akihito. The girl peeked, tilting her head as he got closer, and he noticed that she was carefully watching his every movement. The crime lord liked the sharp intelligence he was seeing in those bright eyes that were staring back at him with a mix of curiosity and caution. _

_Oh yes, she knew he was dangerous. She could sense it. Yet, she showed neither fear nor foolish naivety. Instead, she held her head high with an air of dignity and stood her ground. She wasn't a weakling. No. She was a princess in the making. A future queen._

_Asami had been looking for an addition to his little 'family' for quite some time now and it was really fortunate that he had found her at the most unexpected place. He had come here for business. His business partner, a royal prince from a small yet rich kingdom in South East Asia, had just opened a new route for human trafficking and the man had needed a transit place for a single night. It was practically easy money for Asami._

_Asami was just checking the warehouses randomly, making sure that everything was in order, when he'd noticed the little girl. "She is stateless, Sir, just like everybody else in the warehouses," her caretaker explained. It meant that this girl didn't belong to any country in the world. It was a common occurrence in her home country. Her father, an unknown foreigner, had left her mother before the girl was even born. Her mother was a Japanese whore in a kingdom where citizenship was determined by the parents' nationality. No one would look for this little girl, especially not her mother who had sold her into slavery to survive another year. Poverty just did that to people._

_The crime lord merely nodded as he listened to the boring story, captivated by the bravery he saw in those golden eyes that looked exactly like his._

_Now, he just needed to test her ability before he could go with his plan. A plan that would bind Akihito to him. For the rest of their fucking life._

* * *

"Are you out of your fucking mind?!" I screamed at my husband, who obviously had gone mad.

He just leaned on our bedroom wall, giving me his legendary slow smile. Though he didn't look like it, I knew he was observing my every reaction. I might not know much about his day-to-day business, but I had been living with him long enough to know how he behaved.

I took the clothes he had given me -if this _thing_ could even be called clothes- using my thumb and forefinger and held it up in front of him. "There's no way I will wear this shitty fabric!"

"Just for your information, that _shitty_ _fabric_ cost me a few thousand dollars, Akihito," Asami answered calmly, but his amusement was clear in his golden eyes. "It is custom made by one of the best fashion designer in the world using the best quality of leather."

I stared in disbelief at the scantily black leather short and its matching vest. Surely one needed no knowledge in fashion design to create this silly clothes. I would believe it more if he had said that it was tailored by a porn artist. The entire outfits were skimpy and …well, ridiculous. I couldn't imagine that I could even fit into it. I didn't even want to guess what those zippers at the back side was for. And Asami seriously wanted me to wear this and nothing else?

"I thought I could ask you anything for my birthday," he reminded with a sly smile on his face. "I just wanted you to accompany me to the opening of my new club tonight."

"But, in this clothes? Seriously, Ryu?!"

The "As You Wish" coupons had been Mizuki's idea. She had suggested that since her beloved father practically had everything a man could ever need and want in his life, we should give him something that couldn't be bought by money for his birthday. So, the twins, Mizuki, and I had created hand made coupons that would grant Asami anything that he wished for from us. The plan had sounded fun and innocent when she'd explained it. Now, I began to regret it.

Asami'd asked for a massage and a kiss from Mizuki, who had given him half an hour of back massage and then had covered Asami's face with kisses. He'd also asked the twins to help organising some boring files and to clean their rooms, which they had done with surprisingly minor grumbling. Then, it had been my turn. I should have known that Asami had an evil plan because when he'd passed me his last "As You Wish" coupon, he'd grinned like the Cheshire cat.

"Anything, Akihito. I can ask _anything_ and you will obey," he now stated evenly from across the room. I wanted to punch him in the face but I didn't think it was a wise decision. Most probably, he would just catch my fist before I could even get to him. So you see, it would be just a waste of energy.

A knock on the door interrupted our argument. Quickly, I push the indecent clothing under the pillows to hide it from view.

"Come in," Asami answered without even making sure whether the ridiculous clothes had been hidden or not. The bastard.

"Father? Dad? We are leaving for school soon." Mizuki popped her head into our room. "Don't forget that we will stay the night at grandma and grandpa's place."

Smiling, Asami kneeled and brought the young girl into his embrace. "I'll miss you, little moon."

The little girl chuckled. "We'll just be gone for one night and you often leave us for much longer than that!"

He caressed his daughter's soft blond hair tenderly. "And I always miss you all whenever I am away from you." I was always amazed by how quick Asami could switch from being a perverted husband to a loving father and then back.

"Have you decided what you are going to ask from dad for your birthday?" Mizuki-chan asked innocently.

"Hmmm, I asked him to accompany me to a party. But it seems he doesn't want to," Asami deliberately paused for an effect. He sighed as if my refusal was a heavy burden for him. "It is okay, little moon. I will go by myself."

Asami, the manipulative bastard! I knew what he was doing! He was using Mizuki's innocence to force me to come to the party wearing that stupid clothes! My beautiful daughter frowned at me accusingly. Her displeasure was clear in her golden eyes. It was kinda eerie how similar Mizuki and Asami could be although they didn't share the blood.

"Dad, that's not what we have agreed!" she protested, pursing her cute pink lips. She broke free from Asami's embrace and placed her hands on her hips, looking every inch like the princess who was used to have her every wish granted. Of course, she was completely unaware of her dear father who gave me a winning smile from behind her little body. I cursed my husband silently.

"Mizuki-chan," I started to argue, preparing every excuses I could muster. Then, I saw the tears in her golden eyes and I knew I was lost before the fight had even begun. It was truly unfair. This was a battle that I could never win. So, I just nodded. "You know your father often exaggerates," I said instead. "Of course, I will go with him. It is just a party, anyway, nothing to be worried of. Now, come and give me a kiss before you go."

Some days, I wondered whether Asami had suggested for us to have a girl so that he could use her against me.

* * *

_The realisation that he needed something stronger than a mere wedding vow to bind Akihito to him had dawned on him when the twins were barely 10 years old. _

_Before Emi's madness had disturbed his plan, Asami had proposed Akihito and Akihito had accepted. A year after the incident, they'd held a private wedding, if the extremely humble party could even be called a wedding. Asami had wanted something much, much more extravagant to celebrate the day they made the vow to be partner for life. But Akihito'd refused. His husband-to-be had wanted to share the intimate moment with only a few trusted people in their life: Akihito's parents, Kou, Takato, Haruka, Kirishima, Suoh, Tao and Feilong. _

_With the mix of people that were involved in it, the wedding preparation itself had been one hell of a roller coaster ride. It took a lot of effort, and a few near-death real and staged incidents, convincing Akihito's father to give his son's hand in marriage. Takato's suspicion of Asami didn't help at all and Asami had accidentally found several concrete evidences that his loyal subordinates were more than ready to dump Akihito's best friend's body in Tokyo Bay. His 'charming' fiancee had vetoed all Asami's suggestions, insisting on having a small Japanese unification ceremony at his parents' home, an idea that Asami had quickly dismissed without even blinking an eye. Akihito's mother had turned into a sort of bride-mom-zilla, literally waking everyone up at 3AM just because she'd suddenly had the so-called "Terrific Wedding Ideas". Flying all the guests safely, not to mention his stubborn Akihito, to the 17th century chateau located in a private zone in France where the wedding had been held, were a headache. Arguments were inevitable. Insults were thrown. Death threats were delivered behind polite smiles. Truth be told, Asami was still amazed that he had pulled off the entire wedding without spilling blood or causing international dispute._

_That had been years ago. _

_Now, while sitting on his luxurious home office chair, only half listening to his furious husband, Asami was silently wondering whether he had made a miscalculation. He should have thought that a wedding vow wouldn't be enough to make Akihito stay if all hells ever broke loose. Out of generosity, he had allowed Akihito the small sense of independence by keeping Akihito's own family name. "I am no woman, Ryu," Akihito had scowled at him. "I would be damned if people start calling me Asami-san like I am your fucking wife." And Asami had humoured him. Whatever floated Akihito's boat. If keeping the stupid name would help Akihito to sleep peacefully at night, so be it._

_He had believed that the twins were more than enough incentive for Akihito to stay. He had forgotten that the twins didn't belong to him. Technically, they were Akihito's and a part of the Takaba's family; a fact that Akihito happily rubbed on Asami's face at the moment. His younger husband was smart enough to ensure that all the necessary legal documents regarding himself and the twins stated this small yet critical fact. Akihito had claimed that it was to avoid legal issues in the future. What Asami had just figured out a moment ago was that this cautionary step was to avoid legal issue against no one else but _Asami himself_. Even with bribery and all his contacts, Asami wasn't sure he could win if Akihito brought this case to the court, especially with Akihito's own connections to the media. _

_"They are _my_ children, Ryu. My underage children, to be exact," Akihito snapped in the end, when Asami had insisted that it would be a good learning experience for the twins to see how he conducted '_business'_. "You sure can't bring my kids to your fucking business meeting without MY consent."_

_"They want to learn more about my business, Akihito," he tried to reason with his enraged husband._

_Akihito snorted. "Right! Like a 10 years old will understand anything about corporate governance! I can't even be sure that is all that you teach them!" _

_"Don't underestimate them just because they are young, Akihito. You will be surprise to find how eager they are to learn about my business; you know, things like the basic of finance," Asami lied easily, hoping to placate his husband. Well, it was only a half lie anyway. Though basic finance had bored them, the kids seemed enthusiastic to learn how to inflict pain on human body. "They are much more talented than you think they are and it will be a waste to see those talents-"_

_His beautiful husband gave him a death glare. "You better stop it now, Ryu."_

_"Stop what?" he asked, frowning as he tried to understand Akihito. Sometimes, his husband's brain could popped out the strangest of theory. He couldn't imagine how noisy it would be to live inside Akihito's head._

_"Stop guilt-tripping me! You are trying to make this sound as if I am the one who doesn't want to see them grow! You know that is not my point!"_

_He sighed. It had gotten more and more difficult to manipulate Akihito lately. Seriously, one of these days, he needed to ask Haruka to find a short course that could teach him how to better handle his spouse. Surely he couldn't be the only husband in the world who had this problem._

_"Fine. What is your point then?" Maybe if he pretended to be more agreeable, Akihito would relent._

_Yet, instead of calming down, Akihito looked even more agitated. Pressing his shaking fists on the wooden surface, Akihito leaned on the mahogany table that was the focal point in Asami's home office as he answered through gritted teeth, "We both know how your alleged '_business'_ has affected my life, Ryu. In case you forget, I can give you a vividly graphic details of what your enemies did to me. I will die before I let it happen to any of my kids. Damnit, Ryu, I just want a normal life for them. You want to teach them to be a pianist or tennis player or, I dunno, a professional sleeper even, be my guest. But, no. I don't want you to encourage them to get involved in your damn business and you just need to deal with it. You have lost the right to say anything about that a long time a go, when you selfishly gave them my family name! And don't think I won't leave if you keep putting my children at risk, Ryu. You know I'll do anything for them."_

_There wasn't much in this world that could hurt Asami Ryuichi and yet, Akihito's words had hurt him more than a bullet to the head could. He had done the deed for Akihito's sake, godamnit, fulfilling his husband's wish of having children of his own. But in the end, his goodwill had backfired at him. Not only the children had pushed him down far below Akihito's priority list, but Akihito was also using the children as an excise to get away from him._

_It was the truth, though, so there was not much he could argue. No matter why he had done it, defending himself now would do him no more good than asking for forgiveness from god for all the evil doings he had done in his life. Indeed, he had given up the rights to had a say for anything in the twins' life since he'd given them to Akihito._

Fine,_ Asami admitted wryly. Apparently, he had made a terrible miscalculation by giving the twins Akihito's surname and then, by letting Akihito keep said surname. Instead of binding Akihito to him, it just justified Akihito to leave him. If he wanted to keep Akihito and the children now, he would need them to somehow take his family name. After that, there would be no way out for Akihito and the children anymore._

_The problem was, how could he persuade Akihito?_

* * *

Wearing the skimpy clothes, I felt naked under my summer jacket. The leather short looked as if it was painted to my skin, not leaving much to imagination. The vest wasn't any better since I didn't wear anything else underneath it. The soft fabric rubbed my nipples while the night air made them erect and sensitive. I tightened my grip on the front part of my jacket, but it didn't help much. I still felt as if everyone knew that I didn't wear much under the stupidly expensive branded jacket. Thankfully, at least the weather was warm.

_Perverted fucking bastard! _I cursed silently.

Said bastard, looking as perfect as always in his three piece dark grey suit, walked calmly beside me, guiding me towards his sleek black Mercedes car with his hand on the small of my back. Nothing in his expression would give away that I was only scantily clad under my jacket. Without an ounce of hesitation, Asami strode as if he was walking on the red carpet with a famous celebrity in his arms.

Kirishima had been waiting for us and he bowed respectfully as we passed him to get into the car. Did he know? I couldn't be sure but I was too embarrassed to ask. Without another word, I quickly got into the car, trying my best to cover my back side with the short jacket as I slide into the passenger seat. Asami quickly took a seat beside me, his right hand settled possessively around my shoulders. I hated the controlling gesture and normally I would push him away. But knowing that I wasn't in the right mind state to win an argument with him tonight, I simply let him have this small victory.

"So, what's the name of your new club?" I asked to break the silence.

"The Collar," he answered dutifully. "This club caters patrons with specific...needs."

I snorted loudly. "By '_specific'_," I made air quotes, "you mean, kinky needs."

He merely smirked. "More or less."

"Great," I replied duly. "And what will tonight party be about?"

"Just the usual opening party, but with a specific dress code and certain shows."

I narrowed my eyes at him. Now, '_specific'_ was such an understatement. It didn't even cover my clothes at the moment. "What kind of _specific_ dress code?"

He shrugged. "You know the concept of Subs and Doms, right?"

I merely nodded. I wasn't into the lifestyle but I wasn't that ignorant. Roughly, I knew what the terms meant, having done my own research about the lifestyle right after I had seen what was inside Asami's hidden room. Well, especially _after_ experiencing a few items inside the hidden room myself.

"The dress code is formal for the Doms and sexy leather for the Subs," he explained before turning his attention to his smarphone. Apparently, he believed that he had given me enough explanation for the day. I glared at him, but my psychotic husband didn't seem to be perturbed. He completely ignored my black look as he started checking emails.

I coughed to get his fucking attention.

He still ignored me.

I coughed louder.

He sighed as if I was testing his patience like a five years old kid who screamed for attention. "What is it, Akihito?"

Fine. If he needed me to spell out the problems to him, he would get it.

"First, I am not your bloody sub! Secondly, as far as I know, there is a big difference between sexy leather and naked, Ryu. So, would you kindly explain to me how in the bloody hell would this work?"

He stared at me and gave me a sexy smile that still made my heart race inside its cage even after all these years. The knowledge that this sensual creature wanted me as much as when we first met, if not more, always made me giddy with desire. I told my body to control itself, but my cock was always such a traitor whenever Asami was involved.

"Well, I thought the answer is kind of obvious, Akihito. But of course, if you need me to explain it to you…" He paused while feigning an innocent look. "You _agreed_ to do anything that I want you to do when you gave me the 'As-You-Wish' coupon. And what I want is for us to go to this opening party together. Just consider this as a role-play, if you prefer. You love role-playing, don't you? And you look damn sexy in those leather. So, technically it fits the dress code. The fact that you are semi-naked while wearing it is simply a bonus."

I scowled. But before I could give him a piece of my mind about the difference between sexy and naked, he added solemnly, "Besides, you look even more perfect naked."

I was stunned. I didn't even know how to respond. Did he expect me to take his words as a fucking reassurance? Seriously? But there was not much I could do at the moment, anyway. The angrier I became, the harder it would be for me to look presentable in this clothing afterwards. So, I decided to leave him with his fucking emails.

It was actually a short trip to The Collar and before long, the car had stopped at the entrance of a very posh building. The front appearance was more elegant than how I had imagined a BDSM club would look like. Some flower arrangements, wishing Sion Group good luck with the new establishment, decorated the lobby. The ambience was a bit darker than The Haven, but wasn't any less luxurious or classy. It seemed Asami had kept the opening party low profile, though, because there was no journalists or photographers at the entrance.

"It is truly silent here. I can't hear anything," I observed. "Is there truly a party?"

Asami gave me his signature smirk. "The entire place is soundproof, Akihito." He leaned towards me and whispered near my right ear, "You can scream as loud as you want tonight, and no one outside will ever hear it."

Asami's breath felt warm on my ear. His voice was low and musky, sending a shiver down my spine. His palm on my lower back slightly dug into my skin. Maybe it was because of these silly clothes, or maybe it was something in the air of this absurd club; Whatever had caused it, I was aroused quicker than usual.

However, before I could say anything or react, a man wearing expensive formal suits greeted us with impeccable politeness.

"Good evening, Asami-sama, Asami-san," he said, bowing with a straight back and expression that of a stoic statue. "Welcome to The Collar."

"Good evening, Tanaka. I believe everything is in order?" Asami asked the middle age man.

Tanaka respectfully kept his gaze focused on the floor a few feet away from Asami's shoes. "Yes, Asami-sama."

Tanaka's way to show his respect made me wonder whether that the man would willingly kneel in front of Asami and lick my husband's Italian shoes if required. His attitude seemed excessive to me but apparently it didn't bother my husband. Asami merely nodded.

Then, Tanaka turned towards me and gently offered, "Would you like me to help you with your jacket, Asami-san?"

"No, thanks!" I said quickly. "I prefer to keep my jacket on." I tightened my grip on my jacket.

"Don't be ridiculous, Akihito. You can't wear your jacket inside."

"Why can't I? I am the husband of the owner of this place. Of course, I can wear anything I want."

Asami gave me a slow smile. Leisurely, he took a piece of paper from his suite pocket, my 'As-You-Wish' coupon. Why he brought that stupid piece of paper around I would never know. He calmly played it between his fingers.

"Nope," I repeated stubbornly, staying out of Tanaka's reach.

Asami shrugged. "Well, I guess, I don't have any choice," he said as he reached inside his suit coat for his phone, most probably to call our dearest daughter.

"Fine!" I yelled at him. Gracelessly I removed my jacket, trying my best to ignore the fact that i was nearly naked in front of a stranger.

Asami merely smirked while staring at my scantily clad body. I knew I was blushing but I couldn't stop my face from turning red. Even my neck felt warm from embarrassment. The air conditioned room felt cold, especially with how little clothes I wore. Stupid, stupid Asami. It was all his fault. I grumbled as I passed my jacket to Tanaka.

Putting a brave front on, I snapped at my perverted husband, "Now, show me the way to the fucking party!"

* * *

_Asami wouldn't miss the obvious changes in Akihito's face when his lover saw Mizuki. Akihito's expression quickly turned sour and all his brightness went away. The lovely jawline tightened as Akihito gritted his teeth to control his fury. Those icy hazel eyes glared at Asami as if the boy wanted to kill him right where he stood, slowly and painfully. _

_He steeled himself for the inevitable. "Akihito, I want you to meet Mizuki-chan."_

_Akihito didn't even bother to answer him. His young husband stayed frighteningly silent, brown orbs darting back and forth at Asami and the little girl who, Asami knew, had exactly the same golden eyes as his. It wouldn't be hard for Akihito to jump into conclusion, no matter how wrong the conclusion was._

_"Mizuki-chan, this is Akihito. He will be-"_

_"Not again, Asami," Akihito whispered, his voice filled with barely controlled rage. His lips narrowed into a thin line as he fought in vain to restrain his anger. He shook his head, just looking at Asami now. Tears were pooling in his eyes, ready to stream down his soft cheeks. "Not. Again. I can't go through this again."_

_Mizuki took a few steps backward as she tried to hide herself behind Asami's tall body. She looked at Akihito with curiosity in her golden eyes. But in his fury, Akihito completely ignored the girl._

_"Akihito, let me explain-"_

_"You are such a cruel, cruel man. Do you know that, Asami Ryuichi?!"_

_Asami raised his hands, palms-down, in a calming gesture. "This is not like what you think. She-"_

_"Oh!? Really?!" Akihito quickly stepped forward into Asami's personal space. The younger man started to point a finger at Asami's chest, poking him viciously. "Really, Asami?! Because it seems-"_

_Asami sighed. "Would you please let me finish my sentence, Akihito?"_

_"No, because I am leaving! Leaving, as I should have done long time ago." Akihito rapidly stepped away from him and before Asami could even think of anything to say, the younger man had started to walk towards the front door of the house._

_"Oh, and I am bringing the kids with me. I have been thinking about if for a while. Now, I know it is the right decision," Akihito continued as he took his coat from the hanger. "Enough is enough, Asami. Save your excuses, because I am done with it. I don't want to hear any of your fuckin-," Then, as if remembering there was a child in the room, Akihito paused. Asami quickly used that unexpected silent to give the shortest explanation he could think of._

_"I adopted her."_

_It finally stopped Akihito's tirade for a while._

_"She is stateless without a parent. I took a fancy to her and I thought you will like her, too. Her name now is Asami Mizuki."_

_There was a long hesitation. Akihito looked at him with a look of disbelief in his hazel eyes. _

_"You are trying to manipulate me again," was all his Akihito said. But it was much better than Akihito leaving him. Asami strode towards the boy and took him into his strong embrace._

_"You said you don't want kids," Akihito continued softly. "That is why you gave Rikiya and Nao to me. Do you think I am that stupid? You gave them because I said I wanted kids. But you don't want the trouble. So you gave them my name instead of yours. For me to raise them, but for you not to get involved too much. In the end, you just want the best and easy part out of this bargain! What do you think I am? Their babysitter!? I am not your fucking mistress, damnit!"_

_"I was wrong," he simply admitted it. "I am sorry, Akihito."_

_His sincere apology apparently had struck Akihito because the younger man said nothing else, standing very still in front of Asami with wide hazel eyes and half-opened mouth. Asami was rarely wrong and he admitted it even less. In fact, he could count with one hand how many times in his life he had said those sentences to another person: Never. Up until now._

_"Let's be one family, Akihito, a real one this time," Asami asked his lover. "You, me…no, us and our kids. We'll raise them _together, as their parents_." But the answer that he had expected didn't come and even Asami started to feel afraid._

_Akihito looked up at him, a sad smile on his lips. "Always such a selfish bastard," his younger lover shook his head grimly._

_Without another word, Akihito pulled away from him. Those brown eyes were cold and dread filled Asami like never before. His younger lover took a few steps back before turning towards the entrance door. That was when Asami knew it. There was nothing else _he_ could do. _

_Akihito was just a few steps away from the door, ready to leave Asami behind, when a soft sob stopped the photographer. The young man looked over his shoulder out of curiosity. What Akihito clearly didn't expect was to find Mizuki in tears. In fact, it seemed Akihito had totally forgotten about her being there. Her cry caught the young man attention and his expression was quickly filled with guilt. No matter how angry Akihito was, their conversation wasn't one meant to be heard by the little girl. It was too late now. Mizuki's golden eyes glazed with deep sadness and those pink lips trembled._

_"Oh, dear," Akihito walked towards the little girl, his arms automatically reaching out to hug her. But before Akihito could touch her, Mizuki had stepped back._

_"You don't want me," she cried. "You don't want to be a family with me. My mother doesn't want. No one wants."_

_"No, no," Akihito shook his head in panic. "It is not like that at all. It is just-"_

_"I am unwanted." Weeks of emotional distress after being sold into slavery, she finally broke down. The little princess screamed her heart out and howled in despair as she crushed into the cold hard marble floor._

* * *

The Collar was much more spacious than I had expected. The establishment spanned over an impressive four floors and it was built to include 10,000 square feet of a main area, a large swimming pool, various kink rooms, and several VIP rooms, each was equipped with its own king size bed, small kitchen, bathroom, play area, sitting area, and even a damn jacuzzi. At least, that was what the escort had told me as she led the way. I practically gawked while listening to the brief introduction of the club.

The membership alone was around twenty grands! US dollar, mind you. Monthly. Who the hell had that much money to be wasted on something silly like a membership in a BDSM club? Hopefully no one would pay that much to join this stupid club and Asami would realise that this was a bad investment after all. I would feel no remorse if he closed this club.

As we walked further inside, I observed my surrounding. The interior decoration was modern and stylish. The luxurious vibe was strengthened by the play of colourful lighting and soft video projection into the roof. The furniture were obviously first class. I had no doubt the small table near that wall would cost at least what I earned in a month, maybe more. In a glance, however, there was nothing to show that it was more than an expensive nightclub. Until you noticed the erotic artworks hung on the walls.

I felt my face get warmer as we passed a photograph of a beautifully nude woman crawling on the floor. The artwork was exquisite, to be honest. Being a photographer myself, I recognised the beauty in it. The technique used to capture that photo was one that would require skill and experience. It was clearly not an amateur work. But more than a professional recognition of the photographer's technique, there was something in the posture of the woman, the way she posed her body, the subtle combination of humiliation and pleasure in her eyes, that was so intense even I was turned on by it. And god knew I had no taste for both domination and submission.

As if he could smell my desire like a shark smelling blood in the water, Asami moved to my side, his strong hand circling my waist intimately. He pulled me closer to him until I had to lean to his side to keep my balance.

"See something you like?" he asked.

"Nothing!" I answered quickly. Way, way too quickly.

Ignoring his scrutiny, I averted my gaze to anything other than that photograph, fidgeting as I tried to hide my arousal from him. Which was an impossible thing to do considering the silly clothes that I wore. And he knew it because he chuckled with obvious amusement as I tried to pull myself away from his embrace.

The escort finally stopped in front of a closed door. With a polite bow, she passed a metal key to Asami. My husband took it without question. He turned the key in the lock, opened the door, and beckoned me to enter with a single nod. With a pout, I walked into the room as Asami closed and locked the door from the inside.

Apparently, the door led to a large balcony facing the main area downstairs. A thick soft red velvet rug covered most of the marble floor. The wall looked to be soft white, but the lighting had gave it a mix shades of red, yellow and purple. As mentioned by our escort just now, the VIP room was more like a small apartment. There was a sitting area near the edge of the balcony where patrons could sit and watch the show below. I saw a bottle of Asami's favourite Scotch whiskey, an empty glass, and a bucket of ice on the small table near the leather couch. Some expensive looking pillows were placed artistically on the carpet. A jacuzzi was situated at the middle of the room, already filled with warm water mixed with sweet rose petals, as cheesy as it was. One side of the room contained the king size bed while the other side had the small kitchen and a door that I assumed would bring me to the bathroom. It actually felt cozy, if not for the suspicious chains and rings that scattered at certain places as well as a corner full of whips, flogs, a spanking bench, and other terrifying looking instruments that I didn't even know the name of.

"Just us? No one else?" I observed, fearing that more guests would come to join us later.

Asami strode towards the couch, pouring himself a glass of the fiery liquor before sitting down on the couch.

He smirked at me. "Why? Do you want to have an audience while we play? I can arrange it."

I huffed, "Over my dead body." I felt relief that no one else would see me in this stupid clothes. I had been afraid that Asami would want to show me off to his colleagues or other patrons. Thankfully, he didn't seem to have any intention to do that. Whether it was because he knew I would feel uncomfortable being seen semi naked by strangers or because of his own possessiveness, I couldn't give a damn.

Feeling more relax now, I stared at the stage below, finding round tables decorated elegantly around the stage. Men and women in impeccable suits and stunning dining gowns sat regally around the tables, laughing and talking as their subs knelt obediently at their feet. To my complete surprise, some of the subs were wearing even less clothing than me, merely covering a small amount of their most intimate parts. A few Doms had more than one sub. And occasionally, I saw passionate kisses and blatant groping between the Doms and the Subs. Geez, these rich people were absurd. The entire scene felt surreal to me and I was glad that we were hidden from anyone's eyes up here.

"Is there any other VIP room?" I asked.

Asami merely nodded to our side, pointing to another dark balcony similar to ours. I could see a shadowy persons there but I couldn't make out who was there, or even their gender, as the dimmed lighting kept their identity hidden.

I whistled. "Impressive. This is truly a high class club. No one will know the filthy rich people who attend the party or what they are doing while they are watching the show. Your wealthy patrons must love the idea."

"Oh, they do love it," Asami answered cooly. "…as much as I love the idea," he added while giving me a sly leer. It was clear what kind of '_idea_' he had in mind.

"You really like the idea of a submissive me, huh?" I asked dully, but a small smile hanging on my lips and I knew he had noticed it. Even if he had missed my smile, he wouldn't miss my obvious erection, thanks to my extra tight leather short.

He offered me a knowing smile as he answered calmly, "Maybe a little. Just out of curiosity."

Truthfully, I wasn't the submissive type and I had fought tooth and nail to be his equal in every possible way. But playing submissive once in a while wouldn't hurt. As he had mentioned, I kinda liked role-playing. In fact, the idea of submitting to him tonight aroused me more than I had expected. _Oh well, it was his birthday gift, anyway,_ I tried to give an excuse for my wicked desire.

Downstairs, the host had started the show and the guests clapped their hands in excitement, but I paid none of it any mind. Instead, I focused all my attention on the solid man in front of me. Asami sat nonchalantly as if he owned the entire world; even a god would look less arrogant sitting next to him. In his early fifties, my husband was still as handsome and sexy as fuck. His expensive suit hugged his defined muscles perfectly. His broad shoulders, toned abs and rock hard chest clearly displayed his physical power. Combined all those qualities with his extreme fortune and I knew many men and women would happily submit to him as his slaves.

I tilted my head, carefully considering my next action. Then, making a decision, I offered him a coy smile of invitation. "Do you prefer me kneeling in front of you or beside you, _Master_?"

Asami tried to school his expression as fast as he could, but I wouldn't miss the nanosecond of shock in his eyes. His breathing stopped for a heartbeat when the word '_Master_' was out of my lips and his hand that held the glass stilled. Obviously he had thought that I would need more persuasion before I would agree to play the game. There was a momentary of silent before he answered carefully, "Beside me, boy."

Well, two could definitely play the game. "Of course, Master," I answered demurely, bowing my head to show my respect to him.

He didn't even bother to hide the smug look on his face as I slowly kneeled beside him, purposely making the simple act into a show.

"Hands behind your back, boy. Straighten your spine, lift your chin up, cast your eyes down and spread your knees wide apart," he guided gently, his voice turned low and husky. He took his time to stand and fix my position, slowly arranging my body to a pose that would please him the most even when he knew I needed to struggle to assume the position. It was clear that, tonight, only his pleasure mattered; every push and pull that he did as he stretched my body beyond its limit emphasised that simple fact.

I hadn't expected that someone positioning my body into such an uncomfortable position would feel so erotic. And yet, it did. When the tip of his finger touched my bare skin, it burned as if he had branded me with a hot iron. When he used his Italian shoes to shove my knees even further apart, exposing the most vulnerable part of my body to his hungry gaze, I couldn't stop the wanton moan that escaped my mouth. Every now and then, he would give me a gentle caress and the contrast between the tender brush of his hands and the strength that he used to adjust my body made me shiver in anticipation. Would his next move be as gentle as that? Would he shove me forcefully after this? Whatever it would be, I craved his touch. I needed it like a fish needed water to live.

When he was finally satisfied with the result, my body was displayed shamelessly at his feet. It wasn't exactly comfortable and I didn't think I could hold it for long. There was something raw and vulnerable in the position I was at. My erect cock was exposed blatantly, my swollen nipples were for him to play with, and my lips were just at the right level of his cock. It was humiliating, as if I was there simply for his pleasure. Yet, as strange as it sounds, it made me feel…submissive, if that was even possible.

Asami reached for my hair and stroke it gently, as if the locks were one of the rarest treasure on earth. Then, without a single warning, he pulled the strands hard, making me baring my throat to him and earning a whimper from me. He leaned down, his eyes never stray from mine as he gave me a passionate kiss that was close to brutal. It felt more like a punishment than an act of affection. But obediently, I opened my mouth, letting his controlling tongue to invade inside until I gasped for air. And even then, he didn't let me go.

The kiss started to feel suffocating and I reminded myself to take a shallow breath through my nose. God, even with my difficulty to breath, my cock still strained so achingly hard in my shorts until I thought it might tear the soft fabrics to get out of its confine. And when Asami sucked my tongue hard, I felt dizzy with the sensation. Absentmindedly, only half conscious by now, I started to pump my hips, trying to get more friction to satisfy my own arousal.

"Please," I started, not even sure myself what I begged him for. "Ryu, please."

Pleased with my reactions, he laughed before reluctantly pulling away. "Such a good boy," he purred and against my better judgement, I actually preened at his compliment.

Maybe, just maybe, a night of submission wouldn't be so bad, after all.

* * *

_"Poor girl," Akihito shook his head as he closed the guest bedroom door quietly._

_Asami just stood there, staring blankly at the manicured landscape of his own backyard during sunset with his back towards Akihito, unable to say anything. What could he say, anyway? Akihito was about to leave him. Again. Not without a good reason, perhaps. But, still. Even someone as determined as Asami could feel tired playing this chasing game._

_"Thankfully, she is sleeping now," his oblivious husband added in a whisper. From the reflection on the floor-to-ceiling window in their living room, Asami could see Akihito shaking his head in disbelief. "How could anyone, moreover her own mother, leave her just like that? Such a sweet girl, she deserves someone who will take care of her no matter what."_

_ Asami didn't care to reply. Being raised by loving parents and surrounded by trusted friends, Akihito would never understand, anyway. But Asami understood perfectly what Mizuki was feeling. Asami's own mother had left him for a junkie much younger than himself, even knowing that the jerk was just after what little money that she'd had. Over the years, people had betrayed him, sold him to his enemies, died, or simply abandoned him for something better. Kirishima and Suoh had been the only two constant people in his life since he was a fifteen years old young man with nothing but a dream to become someone. Yet, he knew that they too would leave him someday. It was just a matter of time. Nothing and no one lasted forever. Mizuki was learning this simple yet critical fact now: people left, no matter how perfect you were._

_"I am sure you know the answer to your own question better than me," Asami said warily despite his better judgement. Accusation was too obvious to miss in his voice and he hated it. He would be damned if he ever showed unnecessary emotions in front of his naive husband. Not now. Not ever. With all the willpower he had, he ignored the impulse to turn around to face his beloved, lest he started begging for Akihito to stay._

_Akihito's offended expression that was reflected on the window did nothing to lessen Asami's own heartache. "I didn't leave her!" his young husband gave an outrageous muffled scream. _

_Thankfully, he managed to keep his tone even as he answered calmly, "You would. We both know that you would." He paused, taking a deep calming breath to steady himself. "You will leave us both. It doesn't matter what she deserves, or how hard she tries to do anything, or how much she has sacrificed for anyone. It will never matter. People come and go. There is nothing we can do to stop them. At least, this will be a good lesson for her."_

_The last few sentences almost choked him. He wasn't sure it was about Mizuki anymore. It sounded more like what was inside his own heart, too close to his own fear of Akihito leaving him despite everything that he had done for his younger husband. He just hoped that Akihito wouldn't notice how much Asami'd just poured his own insecurities into those words. _

_It was damn hard for Asami to admit, but the moment the words left his mouth, he knew that it was fucking true. It wouldn't matter how hard he fought to provide as much normal life as possible for Akihito and their children. For his young and naive husband, it would never be enough._

_Did that mean that Asami wanted Akihito to change, though? God, no. He wanted Akihito to stay as he was. Akihito's innocence and naivety was what attracted Asami in the first place. It would be unfair if now he wanted Akihito to be something else. No. He didn't want Akihito to change for him._

_He closed his eyes shut, giving up on stalling the inevitable. "I am tired," the words were out before he could stop it. He leaned his forehead against the cool glass window. He just wanted to get this over with. If Akihito wanted to leave, Asami didn't want to prolong his misery. Let Akihito leave so Asami could lick his wounds in secret._

It is okay_, he scolded himself. _It is time, anyway. Fifteen fucking years is more than what I had expected.

_There was a very long silence. He waited for the sound of the door opening. Or even worse, closing. The gentle palm that rested on his back, however, wasn't what he had expected. Slowly, as if Akihito didn't want to scare him, his younger husband hugged him from behind._

_"I am sorry," Akihito said quietly, almost inaudible. "I didn't mean to undermine your effort. I know whatever you do, you do it in our best interest. At least from your perspective, as twisted as it is. But, I will appreciate it more if you can discuss it with me first."_

_Asami knew his shoulder shook violently as he tried to control the emotions spiralling wild inside himself. He swore that he would deny it if Akihito ever brought it up. But Akihito didn't mention it. His husband simply turned him around, kissed him softly, and led him to the sofa, murmuring words of comfort and apologising for god-knew-what as Asami rested his head on Akihito's lap. _

_"Thank you for fighting so hard fo us, Ryu," Akihito whispered softly, love dripping from every words. "Rest. It is my turn to take care of you."_

_And so he slept. _

_He didn't wake up until the next dinner. For the first time since he'd started his own business, he missed work and not because he was sick. But when he opened his eyes to the sight of Akihito yelling as his younger husband run in a futile attempt to catch the twins and Mizuki, trying to bath them all, Asami felt much more relax and fresh than he had ever felt in ages. _

_He didn't really understand why, but Akihito had understood his fear and despite Asami's display of momentary weakness, Akihito stayed. They had never discussed his breakdown. But after that, whenever he laid his head on Akihito's lap, without words or questions, Akihito would caress him to a peaceful sleep._

_And that was more than what Asami could ask for._

* * *

I watched with awe-filled eyes as the young man's body bent into unthinkable shape. I didn't even know that a human body could do that. Asami had forced me to do some bondage before, when we were both simply fuck buddies. But none of those could be compared to what I was currently watching on the stage. The show was a totally different level altogether.

The handsome middle age man on the stage, who obviously was the Dom, took a mean looking whip and started to lash one of the sub on stage; gently in the beginning, then the lashes escalated with a sound that made me cringe in fear. Not that I would admit it to Asami. But it seemed that he knew, because every time I winced from the sound of a whip lash, he would run his fingers on my shoulder blades, calming me.

"It sounds painful," I commented. Then, remembering my role for the night, I added, "Master."

He actually snorted at my pitiful attempt to be submissive. Well, at least I tried.

I couldn't take my eyes off the stages, though. The Dom had started to fuck the sub who was bound in a sort of a swing, both were obviously lost in pleasure. The sub openly screamed in ecstasy and begged for the Dom to fuck her even harder, their voices were amplified by the high-tech sound system.

I stole a glance at Asami, thinking that the scene below would arouse him. And yes, Asami was aroused, if the tented pants was any indication. But what I didn't expect was to find him watching me instead. His gaze was steady, staring at me as if I was a wonder of the world. It was screaming his love and desire to me and I felt my heart begin to race. I might be scantily clad, but I wasn't naked. Yet, I felt as if his gaze could peel every layer of my clothes and left me bare in front of him.

I tore my eyes away from his scrutiny and murmured, "I am thirsty."

Before he could say anything, I stood and walk towards the small kitchen, my joints popped in protest after holding the uncomfortable pose for long. Scuffling around the kitchen to find what I needed, I got myself a glass of pure water. The water felt cool as I swallowed it down, keeping my back to him. Nervous, I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. Without even looking, though, I could still feel his intense gaze fixed on me.

"You are nervous," he commented evenly.

Shit, of course I was! Who wouldn't when someone was staring at them with so much love blatantly displayed in the eyes? I rested my hands on the kitchen counter, trying to calm my stupid heart.

"Akihito, look at me," he ordered.

Slowly, I turned around to face him but I still couldn't bring myself to look at him in the eyes.

"I said, look at me, boy," he told me sternly. "I don't like repeating myself twice."

The hard warning reminded me of our role-playing and somehow it calmed me down. I forced myself to look at him. And gods, Asami was truly a sight to behold. He was sex incarnated. It wasn't only about his body or look, though he was physically handsome and sexy as hell. But more than that, Asami just possessed some intangible qualities that made men and women gravitate towards him: a quiet authority, an ability to read his partner's mind, a sensual confidence that only few men were lucky enough to had. His entire body emanated an internal-fortitude strength. He knew who he was and what he wanted. And there was nothing sexier than a man who was grounded, who was in perfect command of himself, and whose confidence said that he had nothing to prove.

I wanted him. Oh for all the mercy in the world, I had never wanted him more than I wanted him now. My blood rushed south as my brain decided it was time to stop functioning for the day. My breath catch and my skin tingled just by being in his presence. I needed to touch him as much as I needed air to survive. Drowned in a haze of pure lust, I started to walk towards him.

"Stop." His one word command froze me. Did I do anything wrong? When I opened my mouth to ask, he added with sexual longing in his eyes, so strong until his irises turned into the colour of melted gold, "Crawl, boy."

My heart stopped beating at that simple command. Crawl? Like an animal? Could I do that? The image of the woman in the photograph flashed through my mind. The arch of her back. The cat-like pose of her body. The submission in her eyes. Shit. My logical side started protesting against that very notion, even as my cock hardened under the thin layer of leather. Should I? Should I not? Wouldn't it destroy all my effort to stand equal to him? But, didn't I want it as much as him? Hundreds of questions flashed through my mind before I forced myself to stop worrying to death.

_Fuck it, Akihito! You only lived once, right?_

Slowly, I got down on all fours. I tried my best to mimic the photograph that I had seen during our way here. I kept my eyes on him, head slightly elevated, mid back sloping down into a deep curve, hips high. And I crawled. It was damn embarrassing. I didn't think I managed to make it into an art as the woman in the photograph had done. But I put all my passion for Asami in it.

His eyes followed my every movement; it made me want to give him the best show ever. I stopped in front of him, tilted my head slightly, then gently licked his fingers that rested on the armchair, arching my body to its maximum limit. The moment my tongue touched his skin, Asami whined as if he was on fire. The longing sound stopped me dead. Asami rarely made a sound during sex. He wasn't an expressive lover. And he definitely didn't whine. Growled, perhaps, in a very rare occasion. But never a whine.

I stared at him through my lashes and if I didn't remember to keep my cool, I would have laughed at the sight in front of me. My husband was closing his eyes so tight as if he was trying to control every fibre in his body. He bit his bottom lips in an effort to stay silent. His fingers squeezed the armchairs like a man grabbing a lifeline that would save his very soul. And his erection, trapped inside his soft pants, made a very obvious bulge, screaming for attention.

A dominant, my ass. If there was anyone who was in control here, it was clearly me. The power that I had over him was intoxicating. Shit, I could get used to this.

Feigning timidity, I asked, "Master? Can I?"

Asami didn't even have the strength to answer. He lifted one of his hand to rub his face as he nodded.

I grinned. Using my teeth to open his pants, I pulled down his briefs. His erection stood proudly in front of me. The masculine scent was so heady, it made me drunk. Wanting more of his scent, I pressed my face into his groin, nuzzling my cheek against it and he groaned in need. Ignoring my own erection, I started to worship his cock in all its sensual glory. Tonight, I wanted to savour every inch of its power, virility and vigour. I began with a long, sensual lick along his shaft, tasting it as if his arousal was a special gift for me. He didn't try to grab the back of my head, letting me to set the pace and giving me freedom to express my desire to please him. And I decided to take this slow, determined to enjoy the silkiness of his cock.

As I caressed his swollen cock with my tongue, he let out a long sigh of longing. "Akihito…"

Inch by inch, I took all his rod inside my mouth, massaging the bulge with my throat as I hummed in pleasure. Using my tongue whenever I could, I kept it slow and sensual, sliding it in and out of my mouth with a torturing pace. It wasn't exactly easy to do it on all fours, but I did it with enthusiasm, hoping it would convey my feelings for him.

And Asami didn't disappoint me. Before long, he growled, "Enough."

He half-dragged me to the other side of the room in record time, unzipped the back of the thousands dollar leather short, threw me down on the king size bed, and pushed me back on all fours. It was his favourite position. I would never admit it, but I enjoyed it as much as him since in this position, I could feel him even deeper. I crossed my arms and rested my head on it, spreading my legs wide, arching my back and raising my hips in offering to him.

Without another word, Asami grabbed my hair and pushed my head further into the mattress as he sank into me. He set a brutal pace and I pushed back to meet each thrust. And each time his cock hit that spot deep inside me, I screamed louder and louder, yelling his name in my desperation to reach my own orgasm. He didn't even need to touch my cock to send me there. I literally saw stars as I reached climax, squeezing my muscle as hard as I could around his cock and he followed me a few seconds later, wave after wave of pleasure filled me.

We slumped into bed laughing and kissing each other. A stupid smile still decorated my face as I fell into sleep in his arms.

* * *

Tao watched the show on the stage downstairs dispassionately. A Hispanic boy knelt between his legs, busy sucking his cock. He spread his arms wide along the back of the sofa while trying his best to enjoy the service given by a boy whose name he couldn't even remember. He frowned. Something had to be wrong when a man had to even _try_ to enjoy a fucking blowjob. And it wasn't like the boy was unskilled. It was just that the excitement of having a boy at his feet had died a long time ago. After a handful of them, one couldn't differentiate one blowjob from another. And how sad was that?

He glanced at the other balcony on their right side, where he knew Asami-sama was enjoying the same show with Akihito. So far, nothing seemed alarming. Tao knew Kirishima and Suoh were staying on guard just outside the door that led to Asami-sama's balcony. But one couldn't be too careful nowadays, especially with the current unrest in the underground world.

Absentmindedly, he shifted to give the Hispanic boy a better access, his mind straying to the situation in hand. The unrest had given them all a headache. Tao was seriously worried, to be honest. Someone was selling the underground organisations, one by one, to the authorities and no one had a damn clue who it was. Nobody trusted anyone anymore. In fact, every organisations with illegal dealings had started to attack one another in order to defend themselves.

Indeed, the new anti-organised-crime law was annoying, but it shouldn't have done that much damage to the top players with strong connections, especially one as powerful as Sion group. And though the Takamiya had suffered similar fate as the others, their loss wasn't as fatal as the others; it irked Tao. Tao didn't believe in coincidence, especially one that worked against him.

His instinct told him that the mole was merely playing with them. Divide and conquer. Not only they didn't trust each other now, but they also needed to fight among themselves while avoiding the authorities at the same time. A two-front war was one that's difficult to win. Sion group's upcoming treaty with the Takamiya would strengthen them, but for how long? Tao hated being outmatched and now, that was exactly what he felt.

Shutting his pure black eyes, he recalled his conversation with his father a few hours ago. The older Liu had called his son in concern. Baishe was ready to support Sion group, but what could Baishe do when no one even knew who the enemy was?

"Rumour has it that a new player has entered Japan's underworld," Feilong had informed his son. "Whoever this person is, he or she wants to eliminate all the old players and take control of the entire country by either selling the old players to the authorities or taking over them."

A new player? But if there was a new player, how come they hadn't heard anything?

He shook his head, reminding himself of his own experience more than a decade ago. Hadn't he started his own business in secret, without anyone knowing, until Asami-sama had caught him? The problem was, the more time you spent in the underworld, the more used you were with certain concepts. Newer players had none of these old school concepts ingrained in their head and if one could use this loophole to their advantages, it wasn't impossible for them to beat even the top ringleaders.

The soft complaining sounds coming from between his legs stopped his chain of thoughts. His Hispanic boy was looking up at him in frustration. The boy had spent the last half an hour sucking him and trying to coax an orgasm from him. That beautiful jaw muscle had to be very sore by now. He offered the boy an unrepentant grin before reaching out a hand to grab the boy's nape, then brutally, buried the boy's face back in between his powerful legs. The boy should know better than to complain. Tao couldn't care less even if the pretty boy had his jaw broken. Tao had spent a lot of money for this particular boy, buying him things and even paying for his tuition fee. It had better be worth every penny or there would be hell to pay.

His ringing phone interrupted his plan to make the boy suffer, though. He glanced at the screen, preparing himself to quickly run to the next balcony if the caller was Asami-sama. It was an unknown number, but there was only one person who had the strange habit of using disposable phone to call his private line. Well, the caller could wait for Tao to get his fun. Deciding to call back later, he simply ignored the call until his phone stopped ringing.

There was a moment of blissful peace as he fucked the boy's throat hard before his phone started ringing again. Cursing, he used his free hand to reject the call.

A minute hadn't even passed when his phone started ringing for the third time.

_Damnit, the boy is as stubborn as his dad,_ Tao scowled silently. _Fine. He asked for it so he can't complain to me later._

"I'm busy," he calmly told the person on the other end of the phone call. His breathing was steady, showing no sign at all that he was in the middle of having a blowjob, even if it was a boring one.

There was a brief silence before an emotionless reply came, perfectly mimicking Tao's even tone, "Having sex?"

Tao didn't even bother to stop deep-throating the Hispanic boy. He just shrugged as he offered a cold answer, "It is nothing of your business, boy. Now, be quick. What is it?"

With a dull tone as if he was reciting a boring financial statement, the boy reported that his men had seen a few suspicious thugs around one of their warehouses. The boy had ordered the men to bring the intruders in, but most of the unidentified men had managed to escape. Obviously, these intruders knew their way around the area to be able to get away from Asami-sama's best men. They could only capture one and even then, the man was dead before they could interrogate him.

Tao was listening with only a third of his attention by then. The intruders might be related to this new player his father had told him about, but there was nothing they could do if they couldn't interrogate anyone. The security cameras around the warehouse might tell them something, but if the boy decided to call him personally, it would mean that the boy had checked the security camera and found no further lead.

A delicious lick just below the crown of his cock made him gasp in pleasure and he didn't even realise he had made the sound until he noticed that the person on the other end of the call had gone frighteningly silent. He wanted to sigh. Well, in his defence, it wasn't his fault. He had intended to just return the call later. It was the boy who had insisted on calling him in the middle of a blowjob.

"Just dump the body in the bay, Nao," he told the boy impatiently. "At least, it would be a warning to others."

There was a pregnant silent. When the boy finally answered, his young voice wasn't as calm as before; the silent anger was obvious in every word he said. "Consider it done, Tao-niisan."

The phone call ended abruptly then. Great. Now, Nao would sulk for days and god knew Nao could be such a ticking time bomb when he sulked. Even in a good mood, the boy was still a wildcard that none could control nor predict. Rikiya always said that Nao would do anything Tao told the boy to do, but they both knew that in the end of the day, the Asami brothers listened only to Akihito. Tao had no control over Nao. And they needed the boy to be in full control to face the upcoming treaty and the current unrest. What a mess!

Feeling frustrated, Tao threw his phone across the room. The weak metal shattered into pieces as it hit the wall. _Whatever_, he thought, _I am damn tired_. He shut his eyes and decided to enjoy his fucking blowjob for now. Moving his hips brutally, he moaned as he secretly imagined it was a certain pair of stubborn hazel eyes that was looking up at him at the moment.

* * *

The phone call woke Asami from dozing off. He shifted, moving Akihito gently from where the younger man had slept on the top of Asami's body. Glancing at the stylish metal clock on the wall, he noticed that the night was still early but the show below had ended. It was mostly silent except for the muffled sexual noise from downstairs. Some patrons had decided to enjoy the various attractions offered inside The Collar.

He padded across the carpeted floor, took his phone from the inside pocket of his suit, and calmly slide the touch screen to answer the call.

"Little moon," he greeted his only daughter. "Are you at your grandparents' house already?"

"Yes, father," she replied in a voice full of respect and affection. "Riki-niisan and Nao-niisan aren't here yet though and they didn't answer my call. Grandma and Grandpa are worried."

She wasn't worried, though. Her confidence in her brothers' strength was obvious in her voice. She knew Rikiya and Nao were more than able to defend themselves. They were her beloved brothers, after all, and in her eyes, they were her unbeatable champions. But as a good girl, she would find out about her brothers' whereabouts to sooth her grandparent's concern.

Asami knew that Rikiya and Nao had jobs to do tonight. A new shipment had just arrived a few hours ago and they needed to quickly relocate the goods to different warehouses before transporting it to their clients.

"Ah, I told them to do some errands," he informed his daughter without elaborating further. His little princess didn't need to be bothered by the detail of their dirty jobs.

Mizuki made a hum of acknowledgement before asking. "So, how's your night, father? Do you enjoy the present from me?"

Asami laughed heartily. Trust his daughter to give him the best birthday present ever. Mizuki was truly a natural mastermind. She made things happen, no matter how impossible it looked like in the beginning. She knew her charms and used it like the twins would use their guns. She might take an underhanded and unconventional way, but it just made Asami adore the 11 years old girl more.

He couldn't stop the grin on his face as he recalled the submissive Akihito, crawling towards him with lust in those hazel eyes. True, Mizuki had only provided the opportunity and a little push. The rest was up to Asami to play his cards right. But none of that would happen if it wasn't for his princess.

"I love it very much, little moon," he admitted sincerely with a satisfied smile on his face. "Thank you. It is a very thoughtful gift."

"It is my pleasure, father," she said with a sigh. "You look tensed lately. I thought this gift might help you to relax."

He smiled fondly at that simple statement. No matter how much the twins respected him, they were always closer to Akihito. Mizuki, on the other hand, was his daughter first and foremost. Without a doubt, she loved Akihito to the death but in the end, Asami was the one who had her utmost loyalty. It had started as a repayment for saving her from a lifetime of slavery, but along the years, their relationship as father and daughter had only grown stronger. He trusted her as much as she trusted him. And it spoke volume for someone who had a trust issue like Asami.

He still remembered the first time Mizuki's tears had stopped Akihito from leaving him. He hadn't expected it to work, doubting every part of the plan even as he'd discussed all the details with young Mizuki. But as always, Mizuki had made it work. Akihito had stayed and eventually, after many discreet and gentle persuasions from Mizuki, his younger husband had agreed to take his family name. Over the years after that, Mizuki had helped Asami to win people, sometimes even his rivals; she was an ace card that he had kept hidden from even his most trusted subordinates and sons.

Which reminded him of something. He carefully considered his problem with the Takamiyas, quickly calculating every actions and predicting possible outcomes, before asking, "Little moon, I may need your help again."

He could imagine her beautiful smile. Her long blond hair and golden bright eyes would shine under the moonlight, emphasising her ethereal beauty. When she answered him, her voice was warm yet full of confident. It was only two simple words, but those two words were loaded with her utter devotion.

"Anything, father."


	7. Chapter 7 One Sunday That Summer

**Chapter 7. One Sunday That Summer**

It was a beautiful day. The unrelenting summer sun was shyly hiding behind the clouds, its rays felt comfortably warm this late Sunday morning. Now, if only Rikiya didn't feel like he was on his way to his execution, everything would be just perfect. Forcefully, he pushed away the nagging urge that told him to run for the hills. He followed his father and twin brother instead. Tao, Kirishima, and the family trusted lawyer, a geeky looking man by the name of Maita Osamu, were trailing closely behind him and his family.

A beautiful middle-age lady, gracefully clothed in an elegant kimono, bowed deeply in respect upon their arrival at the entrance of the five-stars restaurant. Her voice was soft and velvety as she greeted his father. "Welcome to our humble ryotei, Asami-sama."

The old and distinguished ryotei was anything but humble. The establishment was spacious, surrounded by a tranquil garden filled with bamboo, maple trees, and camellias. A stone path divided the stroll garden, allowing visitors to enjoy the carefully composed landscape from close proximity. The building itself was refined, standing even more dignified after two hundreds years of glorious history than when it was first opened. Twelve generations of talented chefs had worked here and the current chef in charge had won several awards for his extraordinary skill. It was no surprise that there was a long waiting list to dine in this prestigious ryotei and the fact that it only accepted new customers by referral had turned it into a dining place for no ordinary people.

But of course, Asami Ryuichi was no ordinary people.

His father merely gave the waiting lady a small nod, allowing her to lead the way to the VIP room booked specifically for this occasion. As they all walked across the elaborate hallways, Rikiya quietly observed the place, cataloguing the layout and listing fastest escape routes in case of emergency. It was one of the habits that Tao had managed to drill into him over the years; a valuable lesson that Rikiya would never forget.

The lady stopped in front of a sliding door that led into a classic Japanese style room. She fluidly kneeled before opening the door and bowed as they enter the room. Their guests had arrived much earlier and were waiting inside. Takamiya Kichiro, the president of the Takamiya Group, was sitting at one side of the low table. To his left was his beautiful daughter. To his right were his brother-in-law and son. Their family lawyer sat at the head of the table. Two of their best men sat on guard behind them, not too near to disturb the coming discussion but not too far in case they needed to defend their boss.

As he took his seat beside his father, Rikiya scrutinised Takamiya's right hand men. He had heard a lot about the two men and their skill.

Tanaka Haruo was a ruggedly handsome man in his early 30s with deep black eyes as cold as the grave. Those orbs reminded Rikiya of the shark eyes, blank and dead without any emotions, looking right through you as if you were a mere prey. It was the eyes of someone who had seen horrible and unspeakable things despite his young age. Tanaka was a notorious character in the underworld. He killed his enemies without mercy, just the way he fucked his women, which was quite often, if the rumours weren't exaggerated. Tanaka's reputation roused Rikiya's curiosity and he wondered whether he would have a chance to find out the truth behind a few of those rumours.

The other man, Jiro, was a small middle age man with a greasy smile. In a quick glance, the man looked harmless but Rikiya knew better. People often misjudged Jiro's skinny body and average look. They often underestimated Jiro's ability with knives. The moment they found out, it was too late. Jiro could decapitate half a dozen men from quite a distance in a few seconds. No one knew why he had no family name and no one dared to ask. However, despite his admiration of the man's extraordinary ability, Rikiya didn't like the man's ingratiating grin. His instinct told him that Jiro wasn't someone he would ever trust.

"I sincerely apologise for being late, Takamiya-san," his father greeted after taking a seat across their rival, snapping Rikiya's attention back to his incoming doom.

Rikiya knew it was simply fake politeness. They had actually arrived five minutes earlier than the time that had been agreed.

"Please, it is us who arrived too early, Asami-san," Takamiya replied with an equally pleasant tone as if they had been childhood friends.

Both fathers exchanged more pleasantries before Takamiya finally made a short introduction of his daughter, Takamiya Suzu. Apparently, she was five years older than Rikiya, attended a reputable all girl private college and, according to her proud father, was very talented in tea ceremony. She gave Rikiya a demure bow accompanied with a soft "It is nice to finally meet you, Asami-san."

Her appearance was the perfect picture of a Japanese woman. She wore a beautiful kimono that accentuated her pure black eyes and petite frame. Her raven hair flowed naturally like a waterfall down her back, making such a sharp contrast to her glowing, porcelain-like skin. She was surprisingly slender and seemingly fragile, as if she would break if someone did so much as to touch her, a complete opposite from the image of an ideal partner that Rikiya had in mind. Extremely beautiful, he had to admit; yet, he felt nothing towards the young heiress. No bellringing, no sparks, and definitely no passion other than the physical lust.

It felt stupid that he believed in true love. Most people would say that he was naïve; true love was something existed only in the fantasy world, just like unicorns and fairy godmother. Rikiya himself would have never believed it if he had never seen the living example in his father and dad's relationship. His parents were obviously made for each other. They were both very different yet they fit each other; the yin and yang that balanced Rikiya's world. The way his parents loved each other was just so adorable that he couldn't help but to smile (or roll his eyes, whichever was more appropriate given the situation) whenever he saw them together. That was the kind of relationship that he wanted in his future, something that he needed to give up now.

"She is quite stunning," he whispered to his twin brother while the leaders of two biggest groups in Japan were politely complimenting the soon-to-be young couple before getting down to business. Looking at the ugly Takamiya, it was a wonder how her daughter could be strikingly beautiful. Rikiya's best guess was that the girl looked more like her mother than her father. Or Takamiya's woman had cheated in her loneliness. Whichever was the reason, he could only thank the gods that, at least, he would marry a beautiful girl. He could always keep a mistress or two later, if he wanted.

"Liar. She is not even your type," Nao replied through gritted teeth. "You prefer light haired women."

His younger brother hated the idea of him marrying Takamiya Suzu. Nao had protested, yelled, and finally threatened that he would tell their dad if Rikiya went through with the plan. In the end, Tao'd had to intervene until his brother'd finally conceded. Rikiya knew he'd played dirty, using Nao's feelings towards Tao to make him agree. But Nao needed to see that this marriage could strengthen their position. For now.

"Hey, it doesn't mean I dislike other hair colors. I am not racist," he argued in low voice so that no one else could hear their playful banter. Nao just snorted as a response.

"Silence, boys!" Tao scolded in a low voice from where he was sitting behind the two of them and it immediately stopped their conversation. The last time they'd disobeyed Tao and continued making noise during a particularly boring business meeting, the older man'd dragged them to the dojo afterwards and handed their sorry ass to them. They'd learned their lesson the hard way that day: _some fun just didn__'__t worth the pain_.

The discussion that followed, however, was unbearably boring that Rikiya quickly tuned out all conversation, giving half his attention only. Both parties were basically going through each point in the strategic partnership agreement, ensuring it met everyone's expectations. This was just formality. They had discussed all the terms and conditions for weeks now that Rikiya could recite every single word in his sleep. No one could blame him if he didn't bother to listen too closely.

_Sion Group and Takamiya Group desire to agree upon an arrangement whereby Sion Group will share the Route, blah blah blah, yada yada yada._

Bored, he was killing time by silently making a bet against himself on whether this Takamiya girl was a virgin or not. It didn't matter for him, to be honest. He would enjoy her either way. But he didn't have anything better to occupy his mind. At least, not until the lawyer began discussing the most dreadful part of the agreement.

"The next section details everything about the marriage arrangement," Osamu-san, their family lawyer, started carefully, obviously trying his best to use as much human language as possible instead of those fancy legal jargons. "As stated here, the solemnisation ceremony would be held in no later than a year after this agreement has been signed by both parties. This agreement also includes pre-nuptial agreement as per requested by both parties."

Since the minimum age of marriage for male in Japan was 18 years old, it was actually impossible for Rikiya to get legally married in a year time, even with parental consent. But it was merely a marriage of convenience for the sake of their survival, a practical bond formed with ruthless business agreement as its foundation, so they didn't actually need to register the marriage. A horde of vicious lawyers from both sides had made damn sure that this business agreement was more binding than any kind of marriage certificate the government might ever produce.

Without a question, divorce wasn't an option for both Rikiya and his wife-to-be. Any kind of separation would mean breaking the agreement and jeopardising the entire organization. Japan underworld didn't have any empathy for those who didn't keep their words. No one would give their loyalty for someone who couldn't be trusted. The organization that his father had built for decades would be disassembled within days if Rikiya suddenly decided to back down. If he was ever hoping for an out, it would be when he or his future wife died, which was troublesome because then he could never trust Takamiya Suzu and his future in-laws not to send a hit man to end his life. Or perhaps, his beautiful wife would do the dirty job herself and poisoned his meal or simply strangled him in his sleep. Or he could kill her first.

What a great married life he would have.

Rikiya stared blankly at the wall behind the Takamiyas as the lawyers take their turn to read a long list of assets, properties, incomes and funds under each of their names that he and his future wife would never share even after one them died, preventing nasty battle courts against any family member claiming for inheritance in the future. It took nearly half an hour to finish the entire list before Osamu-san continued with an even longer list of rights and responsibilities that had been negotiated beforehand through the army of lawyers. The man deliberately paused after every clause to give time for both Rikiya and Suzu to nod their acknowledgement and consent. They both had read the final version of the agreement just yesterday, so again, this was all merely ceremonial.

_The Husband and Wife will live separately from their family after the solemnisation ceremony. The Husband will provide the house and put it under The Wife's name as his gift to her. The Wife will choose the house, in a condition that the house had to be within 5 km from the Asami__'__s residence. The Wife will be responsible for taking care of the house and she will be allowed to hire any help as she deemed fit. _Both nodded their consent.

_The Wife will get 50 million yen for every year of marriage, not included her shopping and daily expenses. _Rikiya nodded.

_The Wife dictates having at least two dinners together in a week, to which The Husband agrees under the condition that The Wife cooks for those dinners._ Both nodded.

_In the event when The Wife gets pregnant, The Husband will pay The Wife 5 millions yen for carrying each child._ Rikiya nodded.

_The Husband will spend time with The Wife at least 120 minutes a week, without anyone and anything else disturbing them. _Rikiya nodded.

"This is beyond ridiculous, man," Nao whispered under his breath. "What's next? Are you guys going to put the number of sex you are going to have in a week as well?"

"Two," he whispered back without looking at his twin brother, keeping his gaze blank and his face stoic.

"Sorry?"

Nao was merely teasing, so of course his younger brother didn't get it. Rikiya cleared his throat quietly before adding in a low voice so that no once else but his brother could hear, "She demands sex at least two times a week. This requirement is included in one of the clause. A few clauses after this one, if I am not mistaken. You just wait."

"What. The. Fuck!" His twin turned to face him in outrage, yelling loudly without any care whether Tao would beat their asses after this or not. The lawyers abruptly stopped speaking and the entire room fell silent. Everyone's attention was now at the two of them but Nao simply ignored everyone else around them. Those hazel eyes that looked exactly like his stared at him in outward disbelief, obviously questioning his sanity for agreeing to do this. He could guess the dozens thoughts that flashed through his twin's mind, one of those would be about how mad their dad would be if he ever found out.

Luckily, their dad would never find out. No one outside those who were in this room would know the true nature of their marriage. Some would guess, perhaps. It was indeed too good to be true for the son and daughter of two biggest group leaders in Japan to coincidentally falling in love with each other, especially when both groups would benefit greatly from such an occasion. But they would stick to the story: the two of them had met during one of their fathers' business meetings, where they had fallen madly in love with each other.

Damn, they already had scripts prepared for every possible question. If someone were to ask Rikiya now how he had felt when he was meeting Suzu for the first time, he would be able to tell them a vivid account of how beautiful her smile was under the morning sunlight, how their fingers had touched accidentally when she'd passed him, and how it had deeply affected him. It would be the most happening love story this year. And that was what the world would know about their marriage.

"Asami-sama, I believe Nao-sama needs a break," Tao said calmly, bless the man. "If you allow, I will accompany him for a walk, Sir."

"Fuck! Like I fucking would-" But Nao had to swallow whatever he was going to say next because Tao was grabbing his wrist without a single word, squeezing it hard enough until the skin turned red and giving him a cold disapproval glare. If there was one thing that Nao was afraid of, it was for Tao to look down on him for any possible, and perhaps impossible, reason.

His father simply nodded. The older Asami's expression was unreadable. Rikiya always admired how his father could keep all emotions under control, showing nothing as if the crime lord had a granite mask for a face instead of one made of flesh. He hoped that he managed to hide his own emotions as good as his father did.

There was an uncomfortable silence as Tao half-dragged his brother out of the room. The air felt so heavy with tension, it was a surprise no one was suffocating. Yet. Rikiya was wondering whether they would need to apologise to the Takamiyas. But doing so would put them in a lower position and they couldn't afford it. Thankfully, Osamu-san remained calm throughout the entire ruckus. The man coughed softly to get everyone's attention and simply continued reading the damn agreement as if nothing had interrupted him.

It went on and on like it would never end and Rikiya almost shouted in relief when finally the lawyer read the last clause of this section.

_The Husband has the right to keep lovers and/or mistresses as he deems fit. He agrees to keep the lovers and/or mistresses away from both The Wife and public. The Wife will never intervene with The Husband__'__s affairs under any circumstances._

Rikiya had offered the same rights for Suzu through his lawyer. He wouldn't mind the girl to have a lover or two. But Suzu'd politely refused the offer right away. Apparently, her interest wasn't in love affair. She was more concerned about wealth, reputation and the eyes of elite society.

The lawyer was now waiting for Suzu's approval. And after almost a full minute of horrifying silence when everyone seemed to hold their breath in anticipation, to Rikiya's relief, she finally nodded her consent.

* * *

Mainichi Shimbun's headquarter in Sunday morning was as full of activities as any other day. The publishing industry knew no holiday. There was paper to be printed twice a day and someone needed to gather the news, write the articles, take the photos, fix the layout, and then send everything to the printing company. It was a never-ending cycle that would repeat itself come hell or high water.

I tread my way through boring corridors, greeting some fellow reporters that I knew of as I headed towards the criminal section that was located on the third floor. Since I'd stopped working as investigative photographer, I didn't come to this building that much often anymore. But once in a while, my former editors would ask me to work as freelance photographer for their cultural or lifestyle articles.

I would usually accept those rare freelance jobs, no matter how boring they were, simply because it would allow me to stop by at the criminal section without raising Asami's suspicion. Soga, the man who had been following me around for the past few years, was respectful enough not to follow me everywhere like his predecessors had done. He would mostly give me space whenever possible, especially when I was working, which I really appreciated. Trust me, it wasn't comfortable at all to meet your editor with a giant hovering behind you.

As usual, the criminal section area looked more like a war zone instead of an office. Photos, articles, and notes were pinned on the various maps that covered the majority of the side wall. Papers were scattered all over every available surface, even the floor. Overworked journalists and photographers were sleeping wherever they could, trying to get a few minutes of rest before fighting another battle.

I made a beeline for Mitarai's office. As the editor-in-chief for criminal section, the fucker had his own room, a real one that was separated from the commoner world by walls, windows, and door. Over the years, Mitarai had climbed the corporate ladder rather quickly. I didn't envy his success though. His career had cost him four marriages. His last wife didn't even bother to meet him face-to-face before asking for a divorce. It was kinda sad, in my opinion. But who was I to judge? My own relationship was also far from being normal by society's standard. Or any standard, really.

Mitarai was sitting behind his desk when I entered. He gave me an annoyed glance. "I miss the day when people have enough courtesy to knock before they enter."

"Shut up, Mitarai. I don't have much time today." I sank into the chair in front of him, resting my hands on top of my stomach and putting my feet up on his table close to the edge.

He simply stared at my shoes while asking dryly, "Boyfriend put you on tight leash again?"

I shrugged, realising long ago that taking offence at Mitarai for his careless word choice would do me no good. I hated when he mocked me as if I were Asami's wife or, worse, kept whore. But getting angry at Mitarai would just give him more ammo to tease me.

"Nah," I said instead, ignoring his obvious provocation. "Just have a lot of things to do." Which was true. I was going to meet Mizuki and Haruka later for lunch. Mizuki was invited to her friend's birthday party next weekend so we were going to shop for her new dress. Apparently, an 11-year-old girl's birthday party had a dress code nowadays. And dress code was _The Great Gatsby_. From where this birthday girl got the idea, I had no clue. I doubted she watched the film or read the novel.

"So, he isn't worried at all, huh?" Mitarai turned to look me in the eyes, a small taunting smirk hanging on his lips. "Your man must have balls of steel. But I don't expect anything less from the man who controls Japan."

I tensed slightly and he would notice it. But I kept smiling at him as if his words didn't affect me.

"If you are talking about the Takamiyas-"

Mitarai gave me an impatient snort, his right hand moving up quickly to stop me. "Takamiya Group is the least of his concern at the moment, I believe."

Indeed, Asami was extremely tensed lately, that much was obvious. But as usual, my husband didn't say anything about it. He had came home much later than usual almost every day for weeks, only to have a few hours of sleep before leaving the house in a hurry, Tao or Kirishima following closely behind him like a shadow. Once or twice, he wouldn't even come home for days. At least, he always called regularly now, having learnt his lesson from our huge fight during the twins' birthday party.

I hated the fact that I needed to go to someone else just to find out what was happening in Asami's life, but I didn't have much choice. If I were to ask Tao or Kirishima or Haruka, they would do everything to sidestep my questions. Getting any information from them was harder than tempting a priest to break his celibacy vow. Not that I had ever tempted any priest. But, it was just that impossible. Whatever Asami had done in order to shut their mouths, it worked like a charm. There were times when I wondered whether I would watch TV one day only to find out that my husband was dead, because it seemed to me no one around him would be bothered to tell me anything.

Mitarai didn't say anything else, though. Well, if he thought that I would beg for information, he was greatly mistaken. I simply raised my eyebrow and waited patiently for him to start talking. After a full minute of staring at each other, he finally sighed in defeat. Mitarai's biggest weakness was that he had never have enough patience and I exploited it to my advantage whenever possible.

"Hayashi Taro, the leader of Fukuda-gumi, was killed last night. A garbage man found his dead body just this morning," Mitarai said evenly. "Half his face and most of his torso and stomach are gone, sliced to pieces and then scattered around him before he was left to bleed to death. A slow and painful death. The police almost couldn't recognise him. They needed to run some test before confirming that the body was indeed Hayashi Taro. The strange thing is the Fukuda-gumi has been quiet."

I shifted quickly, removing my feet from Mitarai's table and leaning forward in interest now. Last time I heard about Hayashi Taro was during my class reunion, a few weeks ago, when some dumbass from Fukuda-gumi had beaten Kou to pulp. If it were not for Asami's help, my friends and I would surely spend at least a few days in jail. I still remembered the concern on the officer's face that night when he had told us that we had offended Fukuda-gumi. Fukuda-gumi was feared because they had strong connections with people inside the police force. So, to be able to kill their leader was truly something.

"Quiet? Their leader was obviously murdered. Surely, someone would ask for a revenge. Is it a coup d'etat? Is that why they are being quiet?"

Mitarai shook his head. "Nah. No one is claiming leadership up until now. My informant doesn't think it is a coup d'etat and so do I."

I rested my body against the back of my chair as I mulled over this new information. Something didn't make sense here. A murder of the leader of a yakuza syndicate as powerful as Fukuda-gumi would cause uproar. The papers would put it on their front page, at the very least. The TV would be full of experts discussing every angle of this murder. "If this is true, why there is nothing about this on the morning papers? If you don't tell me, I won't even know."

Without a word, Mitarai tilted his head, his black eyes clearly observing my reactions. Something about him today was making me uneasy, but I couldn't be sure what. He looked like he was expecting me to do something. Or say something. Like an adult who was watching his one-year-old baby learning to walk and expecting the child to fall at any moment.

"This is still a classified information, Takaba. My source asked me not to publish it. Not yet, at least. The Police wants to keep it low as they investigate. And since the Fukuda-gumi is quiet, keeping it low is not really a problem."

Suddenly, it all became clear. I straightened my back and clenched my jaw tight to stop myself from strangling him. "Are you testing me, Mitarai? Do you think that I somehow know? That Asami told me anything?" I growled at him, struggling hard to keep my temper in check, caution dripping from every word now.

This time, it was him who shrugged. He lifted his hands in an open-handed posture to show that he didn't mean to offend me. But I noticed that the tips of his ears was slightly pink, the only sign of his guilt of being caught in act. "I didn't do anything like that, Takaba. I was just sharing what I know with an old friend."

His half-hearted apology didn't calm me at all. My entire body was tense. I was on guard. My instinct told me that something was up. And it might affect Asami. Or my whole family. I forced myself to relax, to stop fisting my hands so hard till it felt painful. Being agitated wouldn't help. "And this murder relates to Asami, how?"

My friend shuffled some papers on his desk, purposely avoiding my eyes as he answered my question. "Well, it seems they found some links between Hayashi Taro and your boyfriend."

I wanted to scream at him that Asami had nothing to do with the murder. Yesterday, Asami was going to the opening party of his new club with me. The place had to have a few CCTV cameras to prove that we had stayed until morning. Even if Asami had asked someone else to do it, surely my control-freak husband wouldn't be so stupid as to kill someone and leave fucking breadcrumbs to connect the murder to him as if this was Hansel and Gretel story. My innate need to quickly defend my husband was overwhelming. But, defending Asami without knowing the entire situation might make things worse. So, I decided that it would be best not to say anything for now.

"Thanks for telling me. But I come here to ask about Miwa Sato, the high school teacher that I want you to investigate. Remember?"

Mitarai watched me for a long moment, his dark gaze pinned me to my chair. I was about to snap at him for staring at me like I had 'murderer' stamped on my forehead in big capital letters when he shook his head slowly. He pulled a folder from his drawer and passed it to me. I took it from him, taking the investigation report out of the envelope and quickly scanning it while Mitarai gave me a quick summary, his voice growing louder with every word.

"The woman is as clean as a whistle. No scandals. No love affairs. No criminal reports. Not even a speeding tickets. She has one ex-boyfriend, who is as boring as her, an accountant. Broke up because she moved to Tokyo for work. Couldn't withstand the long distance relationship. Her parents passed away years ago after living as boring life as hers. Natural death, of course. She has one younger sister who is still in college, who is clean as well. All schools where she worked previously commended her performance. Her previous students praised her approachable attitude. Her neighbours only said good things about her and her sister. And they were volunteers for an organisation taking care of kids with cancer. Seriously, if I could find any dirt on this woman's life, it would be on her kitchen counter, because there is NOTHING on her."

I stared at the report, which confirmed everything that Mitarai had told me. There was a sinking feeling in my guts. Apparently, Sato-sensei was a very good citizen, the kind of person who wasn't going to lie just to make another person looked bad, especially lying about two harmless teenagers. Unless, all this normalcy was just a cover to hide something else. Because, there wouldn't be smoke without fire, right?

I didn't want to draw Mitarai's suspicion, though. So, I just nodded. "Thanks, man. I am sorry for asking you to investigate for nothing. I owe you one."

He grumbled. "I'll hold you to that."

Making a show of checking my watch, I stood up. "Gotta go now. See you when I see you, I guess."

And with that, I left his office, hoping that I hadn't visited him because whatever he had told me today just made me feel even more anxious than ever.

* * *

Tao stood casually near the door, but deep down inside, he was fuming over this audacious behaviour. Up until last week, not even the Commissioner General would dare to barge into Asami-sama's office, moreover to question his boss about some bloody murder as if Asami-sama was a mere civilian that they could drag to the nearest police station anytime they wanted. The fact that this police inspector and his subordinate had dared to do that, claiming that they were under direct order from the 'higher ups', whoever these higher ups were, was an insult to Asami-sama's standing, in Tao's opinion. But Asami-sama had ordered everyone to behave and just do what they wanted for the time being, so he would.

The younger officer, a rather tall man in his mid thirties, openly gawked in awe at the spectacular panoramic view out of the floor to ceiling window. The Inspector, who was bigger than his younger co-worker, managed to hide his interest better, but it was still quite obvious that Asami-sama's office had impressed him greatly. Only a small handful of people had a high-floor office with Tokyo skyline as its backdrop and Asami-sama had spared no expense to decorate his office. The entire room was a blatant display of taste, power and wealth, establishing Asami-sama's superiority over everyone else.

"So, what can I do to help you, gentlemen?" Asami-sama asked his guests right after they had introduced themselves. Asami-sama's golden eyes were narrowed, hard and rigid. The usually smooth baritone voice was now cold. The crime lord didn't even bother to hide his annoyance for being disturbed at this time of the night.

The younger officer fidgeted nervously under Asami-sama intense gaze, an expected reaction from anyone. Inspector Yamashita, however, steeled himself and looked Asami-sama in the eyes, a considerable feat for a nobody like him. Perhaps, the man had a spine, after all.

"We want to ask a few question regarding Hayashi Taro, Asami-san," Inspector Yamashita replied, his voice only wavering a little at the end.

The disrespectful honorific shocked Tao. He stood a bit straighter, if that was even possible, his fists clenching so hard it was almost shaking. It took an incredible amount of strength to stomp down the rising fury and put a stoic face to hide the urge to shoot these two idiots.

Kirishima stood like a statue behind Asami-sama, clearly fighting to control his own anger. The secretary's face mirrored Tao's raged one. He could almost see steam coming out from Kirishima's red ears. But if Inspector Yamashita and his subordinate noticed, they didn't show it.

Instead, the Inspector continued without missing a beat, "Do you know that Hayashi Taro is dead, Asami-san?"

Asami-sama simply shrugged, "I might have heard."

"And how did you hear about it?"

The crime lord raised his eyebrow, his lips curled into a sneer as if asking whether everyone in the law enforcement was this stupid. News travelled fast in the underworld. If you wanted to stay in the business, you made it your job to know about everything that happened in the market.

The younger officer, however, didn't get the message because he cleared his throat and pushed like the idiot that he was. "Asami-san? Could you please answer the question?"

Asami-sama sighed, resigning himself to the fact that he would need to entertain these two clowns who clearly hallucinated being special agents in some Hollywood action movies. "Hayashi Taro is….was an old friend, Inspector. I had known him for decades and he treated me like his own blood brother. His son called me to inform about his father's death out of respect of our long friendship. He knew I would like to pay my last respect to him."

"A friend," the Inspector repeated like a parrot.

His boss smiled, an icy one that didn't reach those golden eyes. "Yes, Inspector, a friend."

"And his son informed you about his father's death himself. Out of respect of your friendship."

"I started to wonder whether I would hear any real question soon. I don't fancy listening to a repeat of my own statement."

The next words were said through gritted teeth. "I am sorry but it didn't seem to me that the two of you were friends."

"Then, you didn't do your homework properly, Inspector. Taro and I played golf together quite regularly. In fact, I knew his wife and son quite well."

It took a few heartbeats before the Inspector could control his anger enough to answer calmly. "So, his son's phone call wasn't to warn you, Asami-san?"

Asami-sama's surprised face was so perfect that not even an experienced actor who faked expression for a living would doubt his innocence. "Warn me? About what?"

The silent that followed was pregnant with tension. Tao could sense the disbelief thick in the air. But Asami-sama remained calm, tilting his head to indicate his confusion. Not too much, just barely, a movement that was almost unnoticeable. Moving too eager would exhibit anxiety, not something Asami-sama wished to advertise at the moment.

When the stillness was nearly unbearable, the Inspector exhaled loudly in defeat. "To warn you that we might come to ask questions, Asami-san."

Asami-sama merely stared at the two men in front of him, frowning slightly. "And why does he need to warn me about that?"

The Inspector shook his head slightly before changing his approach. "You called Hayashi Taro on July 14th. Do you remember it?"

Here it came, the only thin link that they had to connect Asami-sama with Hayashi Taro. The two powerful men didn't usually call each other without at least a few middlemen in between, being careful enough not to attract more attention than necessary. For decades, they had managed to keep their involvement with each other away from the public eyes. People didn't know that they were sort-of-allies and it was a huge advantage when they need to get a step ahead of their enemies. Unfortunately, Asami-sama had made a mistake by calling Hayashi Taro in the middle of the night three weeks ago. It looked like a trivial thing by that time, not so much now when someone in the government was working with an unknown enemy to bring Asami-sama down. The authorities seemed intent to find any excuse to drag his boss to jail. They would charge Asami-sama for jaywalking, if that could put the crime lord behind the bars. Tao held his breath in anticipation.

"I did," Asami-sama replied evenly. "Though I didn't realise it was that long already."

"Why did you call him, Asami-san?"

"Just to say hi," his boss answered calmly.

"At 2AM in morning?"

"A businessman has weird daily schedule."

"Commissioner General Matshushita also received a phone call from you around 4AM, the same day as your phone call to Hayashi Taro."

"So?"

"So, it has nothing to do with," the Inspector paused to glance at his notes, "a man called Asami Akihito? Your…_adopted brother_?" The last two words were uttered with complete disgust, as if the phrase was an acidic fluid that would burn his tongue.

Asami-sama waited a few seconds before answering, his tone now sharp with warning, "My _adopted brother_ might have a few drinks too many that night. But he didn't do anything wrong. I just asked a favour from a friend to clear the misunderstanding. I am sure your own people can confirm that."

"I see," the Inspector watched Asami-sama like a vulture watching its prey to die. "You sure have a lot of powerful _friends_, Asami-san."

"I am fortunate enough to have them as friends," Asami-sama replied with a sad smile so sincere that could make the angels wept.

Tao couldn't really see the Inspector's face from where he stood near the door. But he could imagine the frustration that the man had to felt. Asami-sama could manipulate his opponent's mind with the simplest of word or body language.

"Then it seems that Fortune has turned her back upon you, Asami-san, since all of your powerful friends have either turned up dead or disappear. Have you ever wondered, why?"

His boss didn't even blink. Asami-sama's face was as composed as always, but it was plain to Tao that Asami-sama had long lost his patience for these questions. His boss' tone as he answered, however, was smooth and serious as if he was considering his next investment instead of the answer to a stupid rhetorical question. "So that she can bend over and let me fuck her in the ass?"

Tao swore he couldn't stop the snort. Hell, if he didn't manage to hold himself back at the very last second, he would burst out laughing. The Inspector wasn't amused, though. He stood abruptly in anger, growling, "This is not a joke, Asami-san."

"I didn't say that it is, Inspector. But you came to my office at-" Asami-sama paused to glance at the shiny metal clock on the furthest wall, "-11.15PM, barged in without any warrant that you can show me, ignored my request to have my lawyer with me, and asked me stupid questions that I have no answer. If you are so free as to waste the taxpayers' money, I would really appreciate it more if you can spend your time investigating the murders instead of sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!"

Asami-sama's barely controlled wrath forced the Inspector to take a step back. The younger officer had shrunk, looking like he was ready to bolt at any moment, his head turning around to look between Asami-sama and Kirishima, as if expecting any of them to pull out a hand gun and shoot him between the eyes. For a brief moment, no one moved, the world daring not to make any sound. Tao waited patiently for what seemed like an eternity. If these two idiots claiming to be the police made a stupid move, he would make sure that they would regret it. It was easy to find someone willing to take the blame for the right amount of incentives.

But in the end, Inspector Yamashita just nodded curtly, "I guess, that will be all. We'll keep in touch, Asami-san."

His boss gave the man another polite nod in response. "Please do, Inspector. I would love to know the progress of the investigation."

Kirishima readily walked to escort the two guests out of the building. The moment their guests were out of the room, Tao watched in sympathy as his boss shut his eyes and rubbed his face wearily. It had been a long day, starting with the treaty signing with the Takamiyas and ending with the cops. Tao hoped there would be no more surprise after this. Even Tao felt like he was ready to go home and just laid his tired body on bed, preferably with a warm body snuggling beside him.

His boss took out a box of cigarette, pulled one out and slipped it in between his lips. Without even thinking, Tao quickly got his lighter out and bend to light the stick. Asami-sama inhaled the deadly smoke, his body relaxing quickly as he exhaled.

Tao remained quiet for a few more minutes before bracing himself. "With all respect, Sir, but perhaps it will help if Akihito knows the situation. Keeping him in the dark might endanger him more." This was 15-years-old argument between Tao and the crime lord, and they had long ago agreed to disagree on this subject. Well, it might worth to try changing his boss' decision one more time. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

Asami-sama just shot him a glare. "The less he knows, the safer he will be. If people have even the slightest thought that Akihito may know something, anything, they will make him a target. And Akihito is like an open book. Once I tell him something, he can never pretend that he doesn't know."

The same argument as always, and it was indeed a valid point. Tao could see the truth in it. But he knew from experience that ignorance wasn't always a bliss. In fact, in the underworld, ignorance could mean an early dead. The images of Akihito being hurt, tortured for information that he didn't know, and then left to die bleeding on a concrete floor somewhere Tao couldn't find had haunted Tao's nightmares lately. The dreams had felt so real that he would wake up in panic, his breathing erratic and his body covered by sweat.

"Just make sure that everything is ready, Tao," Asami-sama continued. "If anything happens to me, though I hope nothing will, but just in case, you'll do whatever necessary to protect my Akihito, bring him out of the country as planned."

They had discussed every detail of the plan over and over again right after the body of Commissioner General Matshushita was found a week ago. Hayashi Taro was the third dead body in the last two months. Another of their contact, an influential member of the parliament, had just disappeared more than a month ago, not even a single trace left to follow. But up until Hayashi Taro, the authorities had no clue that all of the victims were supporting Sion Group one way or another. Then Hayashi Taro was found dead and somehow the fact that Asami-sama had asked his help from time to time had leaked. It didn't take them long to start digging deeper, trying to find any link between the other victims and Asami-sama.

Tao tried to focus himself. The plan was quite simple, actually. Kirishima and Suoh would stay with Asami-sama, no matter what happened. Haruka would take Mizuki and bring the little princess into hiding until they could get out of the country. Another escape route was prepared for the twins. Tao knew they could take care of themselves. Besides, the kids were underage. The authorities would be more lenient towards them. But Akihito was vulnerable, ironically because he had no knowledge about any of this. And as twisted as it was, Asami-sama knew that Tao would do anything to keep Akihito alive, even if it meant giving up his own life.

"Please rest assured that everything is well taken care of, Asami-sama. The only way anyone else can touch Akihito is over my dead body."

The crime lord gave him a knowing look. But this time there wasn't any of the usual warning in those golden eyes, just understanding from a man who knew how it felt to love someone to the point of willing to die for that person. "Thank you, Tao. I really appreciate it."

Tao didn't know which was worse: that he couldn't disobey Asami-sama to warn the only person in the world that he would gladly die for, or that sometimes, the Akihito in his dreams would turn into Nao, his 15-years-old body laying in the middle of his own blood, those hazel eyes that were too similar to Akihito's would stare at nothing, looking like a broken angelic doll with an eerie smile on his face.

* * *

"He knows nothing," Mitarai reported grimly. "He truly didn't know about Hayashi Taro until I told him." The man at the other side of the call remained frighteningly silent.

Mitarai could only thank whatever gods out there for not having to meet the man in person again. Being an investigative journalist for decades, Mitarai had seen the worst part of the society, the kind that would make a murderer look like a saint. But this man was another level of worst altogether. His wiring was just screwed up. There was darkness in him that could never be quenched, not by tears, nor sweats, nor blood. Being in his presence had chilled Mitarai to the core, an experience that he didn't want to repeat, if possible.

In a way, the man had reminded Mitarai of Asami Ryuichi. No morals. No rules. No restraints. The two men both played by ignoring all the standards that society had set, and by doing so, they had beaten us all in our own game. But, Asami Ryuichi had done all that while wearing a mask of humanity, keeping a small part of him that was still a man intact. This man, however, had no sense of humanity. Humanity was simply a foreign idea that didn't make any sense to him. And it made him much, much more dangerous.

Lately, Mitarai wondered whether it would be better to just cut and run. All these schemes had looked like a good idea half a year ago. With the millions that he would get out of this situation, he had planned for his early retirement. Now, the money just didn't seem to worth all the risks that he took. But he knew he couldn't stop. Not now. The man he was talking to would hunt him down if he bailed. Running now would be his ticket to a slow and painful death. Even thinking about the possibility sent a shiver down his spine, and not in a good way.

"So, Asami Akihito is merely a toy," the man finally commented.

Mitarai sighed. "Well, I told you. He is just Asami's kept boy, someone to take care of his children. A living-in babysitter that he can fuck. Trust me, I have been watching Akihito for years."

"A toy can still be useful."

Mitarai glanced at the papers on his desk, playing the edge with his fingers. It was actually part of the report he had given to Akihito earlier today, a few pages that he had removed from the folder so that Akihito would never find out. Written in it was 6-months bank statements of every staff in the private high school where Sato was currently working.

There were a lot of money transfers to every staff's account. The transfers were made from different accounts in numerous banks. The frequency was completely random. And the amount wasn't too big to draw attention, not something that anyone would notice if they were looking only for 2-3 months of time frame. But Mitarai wasn't a newbie who just started his career in the journalism. He had years of experience looking for patterns, links, and anything that looked too coincidental to be coincidence. He had pulled some strings and managed to get hold of all details about the staffs back to nearly a year ago. And if one calculated all the suspicious transfers during that period of times, the total amount of money sent to each staff became sizeable. Such a big amount to mere high school staffs, regularly every month, except for new teachers? Believing that he would miss it was an insult to his pride as an investigative journalist.

He quickly replied, "I know. I will keep digging around."

"You better do that." The man hung up the phone.

Mitarai fought the instinct to wrap his arms around his own body. _It is summer, it can't be that cold_, he reminded himself. Yet, his body shook violently, his skin turned pale and icy as if he was buried underground. And if he didn't find something about Akihito soon, anything sticky that he could offer to the man to complete his end of the bargain, buried underground was how he would be.


	8. Chapter 8 The Dirty Little Secret

**As always, I will appreciate if you share your thoughts, good or bad. Enjoy!**

**Warning: ****Contains sensitive matters involving teens. Grammatical error. Long chapter.**

**Disclaimer: VF belongs to YA.**

* * *

**Chapter 8. The Dirty Little Secret**

When Rikiya had told me that he'd wanted to invite his _friend_ to our family dinner, I somehow knew he hadn't meant a regular friend. The way he had mentioned the word was an obvious telltale that whoever he'd wanted to invite was more than a _friend_.

I was both excited and worried. Not only it would be the first time any of the boys bringing a friend over since elementary school, but it would also be the first time I met their girlfriend. Or boyfriend. I didn't mind whichever. I wasn't sure, however, what this girlfriend (or boyfriend, I kept reminding myself) would say about the dynamic in the Asami family. Had Rikiya told this friend that his parents weren't the traditional mom-and-dad pair? Surely he wouldn't bother to bring home someone who would have trouble with that?

After spending years with Asami, I had -sort of- accepted that my relationship with Asami would be far from what other people considered _normal_. And no, it wasn't even about the same-gender-relationship issue. It was more about the way our relationship worked. Not only I knew nothing about what Asami did during the day, but he also kept me at a distance, especially in public. Not in the physical term. Oh, no, Asami had no problem showing a blatant public display of affection in front of the world. But he didn't exactly advertise us as a loving couple as well.

With a few rare exceptions, he didn't bring me to social events or dinner parties, preferring to ask a professional escort or one of his much younger staffs to accompany him whenever a companion was necessary. He didn't introduce me to his business associates or subordinates. He didn't invite anyone to our house and he didn't ask me to play host to his friends and colleagues, if he had any friends. He didn't mention a single word about me during every interview with those upscale magazines, even after they asked him a direct question about his personal life. He would happily fuck me in front of the prime minister himself if he so wanted, but there would be no tender caress or loving embrace whenever other people were around. I had a suspicion that he purposely made me look like a dirty secret that he had no intention to share to public.

To the outside world, I was of no importance in his life. My place was at home -or to be precise, at his bed- waiting and willing to serve in whatever capacity he deemed fit. In fact, I happened to know that most people saw me as nothing other than his bed warmer. '_Asami's bitch'_ was how they called me in the underworld. '_The boss' whore_' was what his subordinates murmured to each other before they greeted me with a charmingly fake _'Asami-san'_. More than once I had overheard them wondering how good my life had to be just by offering my ass to their boss. They speculated whether I had sold my body to give a better future for my bastard sons. Yes, I eavesdropped. No, I wasn't ashamed. I was a journalist and I had been an investigative photographer for quite some time. Being nosy was part of my job description. Finding things I didn't like to know was just occupational hazard.

In a way, despite how annoying it could be at times, this relationship actually worked for us. People didn't bother me too much because they didn't think I was important. I was just an ordinary freelance photographer with no big connection in the underworld, no wealth and no family name, who happened to be one of the lovers in his long list of flings. The fact that I was his only partner for more than a decade (at least, as far as I knew) was overruled by the fact that he devotedly kept me in a low profile. And thanks to that, I lived as normal life as one could expect when one had the most powerful man in the country, if not the region, as a husband. I worked a job, had drinks with friends, complained about the government and the economy, picked up my kids from school and other extracurricular activities, did my domestic duties, spent time with my kids, and went to sleep. You know, just the normal everyday stuffs every commoner took for granted.

If I could be honest, I didn't have the right to complain. This way, I get the benefits from both sides despite some minor sacrifices. We could raise our children together as a couple and I could still live my normal life without being affected by his power and wealth. So what if he didn't show me off to public? It wasn't like I enjoyed going to those high-class parties and events or playing host to some arrogant assholes, anyway. So, being Asami's 'dirty-little-secret' wasn't really a big sacrifice for me.

At least, it wasn't until today.

For some unexplainable reasons, I found that I desperately wanted this friend of Rikiya to know that Rikiya had a perfectly normal, happy, loving family, not a broken one as everyone seemed to believe. I wanted this girlfriend (or boyfriend!) to see that I wasn't the kept-whore like how people perceived me to be and Rikiya wasn't the bastard son whom Asami was forced to take in order to get into my pants. I wanted to give the best impression possible to this person whom I believed would make my boy's life wonderful.

So, I had taken a day off today. I had spent the entire morning making sure that the house was presentable enough for our guest. I had also prepared a heart-warming homemade Japanese food. And by ten past six in the afternoon, I had annoyed the hell out of Asami after calling him numerous times. I'd just wanted to make sure that he would be home on time to greet our boy's first girlfriend (or boyfriend!) but Asami had become so irritated that he'd started refusing to answer any more of my call.

Unfortunately, just like Asami, the rest didn't really share my enthusiasm. Nao had been in a bad mood for days and no matter how hard I'd prodded, he just wouldn't tell me the reason. Now, he was brooding in his room and stubbornly refused to join us downstairs. Kirishima and Suoh, having to assist Asami, would be late as well. Tao and Haruka had arrived a few minutes ago, but there was an air of wariness around them, as if they were expecting the stove to explode at any moment.

Mizuki was the only person who looked as thrilled as me at the prospect of meeting Rikiya's girlfriend. The two of us set the dining table together before doing a last check to make sure that everything was in its place. I gave her a tight bear hug as soon as we finished, showing her how much I appreciated her support in this.

"Thank you, little moon," I mumbled as I buried my face in my daughter's long blond hair.

Her laugh was full of merriment, soothing my nervous self a bit, as she struggled to get out of my suffocating embrace. Haruka smiled at us and even Tao seemed to slightly relax.

"Okaaay," I rubbed my palms together as I took a deep calming breath. "They'll be here any moment now."

Tao quickly stood up from where he was sitting on the sofa. "I will tell Nao to go down." Long time ago, I had forbid everyone from using the honorifics _–sama_ behind my kids' name like they were a fucking royalty. Everyone could call my husband Asami-sama, if they wanted. But not my kids. I refused to let my kids grow up thinking that they were superior to everyone else simply because the people around them treated them as such.

My hand automatically reached out to grab Tao's forearm, stopping him before he could go up the stairs. "He is upset and he won't tell me what's wrong," I complained to him.

I was worried for Nao. He was usually a cheerful kid, not one who would dwell on things that made him angry or sad, so his behavior now was very unusual. Did he have any problem at school? Was he bullied? I couldn't imagine anyone would dare to bully my Nao. My youngest son might not be bulky, but he had learned enough martial arts since young and was more than capable to defend himself. And as far as I knew, he was very popular at school. Everyone seemed to love him. Then again, high school nowadays could be more dangerous than the underworld. I bit my bottom lip in concern; my head was full with thousands of terrifying reasons that might trigger Nao's recent mood, each one was worse than the previous one.

Tao didn't respond immediately, merely staring at my hand on his forearm for a second, as if wondering what my hand was doing there. Then, he shook his head slowly and patted my hand, which was squeezing his forearm so hard it might leave bruises if his body wasn't covered by layers of tough muscles. "I am sure it is nothing, Akihito. Maybe just some teenager stuffs."

Mizuki giggled from behind me. "I think, Nao-nii is just jealous, Dad. You know, because now Riki-nii has a girlfriend and he doesn't."

Wait, that kinda made sense, actually. Why hadn't I thought of that? The more I thought about it, the more probable it seemed to me. I was about to say something when I noticed the way Tao looking at Mizuki over my shoulder. My friend nodded his head a little as if approving of what Mizuki had said or done. And then, realizing that I was still there right in front of him, he looked down –I hated the fact that he was a head taller than me now– His right hand automatically moved to his chin, his forefinger slowly rubbing his bottom lips; it was his unconscious habit whenever he was lying to me. My eyes followed the simple movement of his fingers as a sinking feeling filled my gut.

"Don't worry, Akihito. I am sure everything is fine. I'll talk to him," was all Tao said before he turned and left.

* * *

Nao didn't even hear the rapid knocks on his door, drowning too deep in the music that was blaring through his headphone. He let the loud sound swirled in his head, pushing all the unnecessary thoughts to the furthest corner of his mind. Sitting on his bed, he rested his back against the headboard. His head rocked slowly as if in trance. His fingers absently tapped the pillow in sync with the rhythm. His eyes shut closed, providing another layer of protection between him and the big bad world.

The moment he realised that there was someone else in the room with him, it was too late. Instinctively, he rolled over the spacious king-size bed, trying to reach the side table where his gun was hidden inside the drawer. But the intruder was much faster, pulling him closer by the waist, pushing him face down into the mattress, grabbing the earphone away from his ears, capturing both his wrists and holding them hostage behind his back, all in the blink of an eye. His ass was up in the air, knees apart. And no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't move an inch.

A sudden gush of pain jolted through his body as his assailant forced Nao's hands up along his spine towards his shoulder blades. His joints screamed in protest but the attacker stopped right before it went too far. Another inch up and his arms would be dislocated from its sockets. Refusing to show even a moment of weakness, Nao gritted his teeth, not even a soft whimper escaped his mouth. His body tensed with fear as his mind wandered to his family downstairs. He fought again against his restraint but it was a futile attempt. The hands that were holding him down didn't loosen up even a bit.

_Calm down_, he thought. _Think. _But he wasn't the type who was good at thinking calmly. Do-first-think-later was more like his style. That was why he and his brother made such a good team. Rikiya did the thinking. He executed. Simple.

It was then when he felt that his captor was kneeling on the bed behind him, abruptly ending his useless contemplation session. The other man leaned and their body touched, Nao's back against a warm solid chest. Soft lips grazed the tip of his ear, sending electric tingles to his entire body. The smell of the cologne that was invading his nostril was familiar, giving a hint of whom his captor was even before the man opened his mouth.

"Quiet now, boy," Tao warned him in a whisper that was soft yet firm. The tone oozed authority and demanded his full obedience. And it worked every fucking time.

His struggle ceased as quickly as it had started. The grip on his wrists was still painfully tight, bending his arms to its maximum limit, but now he knew better than to fight it. He forced his body to relax, telling his brain to trust the older man even when Nao's natural instinct screamed at him to break free. Tao wouldn't hurt him unnecessarily. Slowly, his breathing evened out, no longer erratic, as panic left his body.

Tao didn't rush him. The older man waited patiently until Nao surrendered. Until he gave up all control to his trusted mentor.

"Good," Tao said finally, clearly pleased by how Nao had reacted to his command.

Since they were young, Tao had always handled him differently from his twin brother. With him, Tao had been quick to give physical restraint or punishment. He had to admit that he did learn things better that way, unlike his brother who preferred civilised discussion to absorb new knowledge. Nao didn't mind this vicious side of Tao at all. Truth be told, he thrived on this method. Feeling Tao's strength against his body always calmed him down. Obeying the older man's command muted all the voices inside his head. And tracing the bruises on his skin after that would remind him of his place. Here. With the people that he loved and cared about. Not in the dark la la land inside his noisy head.

Sometimes, it seemed as if Tao was enjoying their interaction as much as Nao. Not only as a way to drill lesson into his head, but also to share affection. But whenever Nao started to hope, the older man would do or say something ruthless just to put some distance back between them, and Nao would be reminded that Tao didn't see him as anything more than a boy whom Tao needed to teach and take care of. A pupil, for sure. A friend, maybe. A family, at most. But definitely not as an equal. Not like how a man would regard another man, moreover a love interest.

Just like a few days ago. When Nao had exploded during the meeting with the Takamiyas, he had expected some reactions from Tao. He didn't know what kind of reaction, but definitely something stronger than the detached reprimand that Tao had given him afterwards. Hell, even being disciplined was much better than that.

Nao wasn't blind, nor was he a fool. After years watching Tao, he knew that the older man had loved his dad for a long time. He wasn't about to compete with Tao's feeling for his dad because he was okay with that. More than okay, even. Everyone loved his dad. Damnit, he loved his dad more than anything. But, was it too much to ask for a little bit of space in the older man's heart? Even one hundredth of Tao's heart would be enough.

A thumb pressed a particular soft spot on his wrist, throwing him into a blinding agony. He almost screamed, but he managed to stop himself.

"I lost your attention for a while there, boy," Tao commented calmly. "Are you with me now?"

He nodded furiously.

"Then listen carefully. I want you to go downstairs and behave-"

Now, he shook his head with just as much strength. "I am not going to support that stupid treaty, Tao-niisan! I can't! My brother deserves much better than that kind of marriage!"

Tao didn't respond immediately. The room felt cold in its stillness as Nao waited anxiously for the upcoming argument. To his surprise, Tao merely shrugged. "You are always such a romantic dreamer, aren't you?"

Silent. It took Nao nearly a full minute to summon his courage and asked, all the while bracing himself for even a hint of disapproval, "Are you disappointed?"

The strong man behind him simply sighed. "You have never disappointed me, Nao. I don't see being a dreamer as a weakness. Mankind achieved many great things because someone had dreamt about it and wanted to make it happen. There is nothing wrong with that."

Nao didn't really believe it but he wasn't going to argue. Not now when his brain was on strike and his traitorous body was reacting in a way that it shouldn't to Tao's every touch. The heavy weight of the older man's body against his own did nothing to help his situation.

"I don't ask you to be best friends with that girl, boy."

"My brother deserves better than her," he insisted stubbornly. He couldn't imagine marrying someone he didn't love. Or allowing someone else to touch him the way Tao did. Or living the rest of his life with a person he didn't have any feeling for. He just…couldn't.

And if he couldn't, why did people think that his brother could? Or _anyone else_ could?

As if Tao could hear his silent questions, the older man spoke in an almost absentminded way. "Our situation at the moment isn't really promising, Nao. Everyone is practically watching for your father to fall from grace. And if your father falls, everyone you know and love will fall with him. This marriage will strengthen our position. And as long as we can control it, it'll be fine. Your father and brother are doing their best to ensure that. Trust me, they don't like this any more than you do. I don't like this any more than you do. But a man needs to do what he has to do to protect what was his. If you can't do it for yourself, do it for your dad and your sister. Hell, do it for your brother who is denying his own feeling to buy us time. It isn't easy even without you sulking like this. Can't you be his support, instead of an additional burden?"

Nao actually spent a few minutes in silence mulling over Tao's straightforward speech. Tao let him take the time he needed to grasp his head around the idea. The older man had a point. And yeah, he guessed, he could do that. He still didn't like it. But he understood that it was for the greater good. For now.

"It won't be forever, boy," Tao added. The fingers around Nao's wrists made small soothing strokes against his back. The thin layer of shirt separating those long fingers from his skin annoyed him like a fly that kept circling around one's ear. He longed for Tao to touch his bare skin. He needed it as much as he needed air.

Yet, instead of saying it all out loud, he said, "We will destroy them all, won't we, Tao-niisan? All that stands in our path?"

The strength of the grip on his wrists lessened into a more bearable level. "We will, boy. I promise you that. And when it happens, you can do whatever you want to those who threaten the people that you love."

Well, he could do this. He would bow his head and fake a smile to those people that he hated. Just until they could find the mole and gather their strength to strike back. Slowly, he nodded against the cotton sheet.

Tao sighed, "Great. I am glad you understand. Now, go downstairs and smile. Behave yourself. Don't you ever dare make your dad worried like this again-"

"Or what?" his mouth moved without thinking. His voice slightly muffled by the mattress. Nao froze, shocked by his own audacity, regretting it even before the last word was completely out.

"Excuse me?" Tao's voice was cool. It wasn't a request to repeat whatever Nao had said, more like a challenge to see whether Nao would dare to continue what he was about to say or not.

He quickly gathered the last of his wits, rushing the rest of the words out of his lips before he freaked out. "Or what? What will you do if I make dad worried? Hit me? Whip me? Cane me?" _Sleep around with boys whose name you can't even remember?_ he wanted to add but didn't. His laugh was a bit hysterical. "There is not much that you haven't done that can still scare me, Tao-niisan!"

The entire room had gone still in fear. He could hear his own heart beat in the echoing silence that wrapped the two of them. He didn't dare to breath. His instinct told him that he was poking a sleeping tiger and he wasn't even sure that he was ready to face the consequences. Clenching his jaw, he steeled himself for some verbal blows or even a physical one. So, when he felt a gentle brush of fingertips along his nape instead, he froze in shock.

'_It was just a coincidental touch'_ was his first thought. But, it wasn't. Because Tao's fingers kept caressing his bare skin, barely making a contact and yet every ghostly trail left his body on fire. It wasn't really an intimate gesture but it aroused him like nothing else had done before. He stayed as still as a statue, practically stopped breathing, daring not to move even a muscle or else Tao might stop. And he didn't want Tao to stop.

_Oh gods, please, don't let him stop_, he prayed silently.

But the gods turned a deaf ear to him. The fingers left his skin and Nao instinctively lifted his head sideways, trying to get a better look of Tao, trying to see what had stopped the other man.

_No. No. More. Please. _

A plea was ready at the tip of his tongue when he realized that the older man had leaned even further. Those full lips that had haunted his countless dreams were just millimeters away from his own. The chaste kiss that followed was brief, barely a brush of lips for no more than a mere second. Most people wouldn't even count it as a kiss. But the simple touch had burnt his entire body, imprinting the action into his very core and throwing logic out of the window. By then, he was ready to do almost anything for this man. Damnit, he would sleep with this damn Takamiya girl if that was what Tao wanted, and he would feel no fucking regret.

Tao released him, leaving him lying there on his stomach. His brain was still processing when the older man replied in a low, detached, icy voice, "Or nothing."

Nothing. The worst punishment ever. The last thing he heard was the sound of a closing door as Tao left him alone.

* * *

I wasn't sure what I had expected when Rikiya'd asked for permission to invite his _friend_ to our family dinner. But whatever I had expected, Takamiya Suzu certainly was NOT it.

My smile froze in place, completely fake and unnatural, as the beautiful young woman bowed and greeted me. Her voice was like caramel syrup, sweet and sticky. Her long black hair was salon-perfect. Her nails were beautifully manicured; each was decorated with a tiny shining stone that mimicked a diamond, sparkling under the bright lighting of my entryway. Every piece of branded garments and accessories on her body advertised her family wealth in big capital letters. I had never cared about brands and wealthy looks. I had nothing against it. But her entire appearance was just… too much for such a young woman, like someone who was laughing way too hard for a joke that wasn't even funny.

"Dad?" Rikiya asked, examining my reaction minutely as if he was wondering whether I would approve of his…_girlfriend_. I cringed at the word. Was this girl Rikiya's girlfriend? Really?

Rikiya was taller than his peers and he had a composure that always made him look more mature than his real age. People often assumed that my boy was 2-3 years older. Still, this girl seemed to be at least a few years older than that. There was nothing wrong with having an older woman as partner if it made my boy happy. But was Rikiya really happy? Was this what he truly want? Wasn't it too much of a coincidence for Rikiya and this Takamiya girl to fall in love with each other after their fathers' feud? What, was this a sort of Romeo and Juliet on the real? Or was this all Asami's doing?

I tried to remember what I knew about Takamiya Suzu, but I couldn't recall a thing. I had never thought that she was important when I'd investigated the Takamiyas. I'd assumed that she was nothing more than a shallow doll, a mere accessory to the Takamiya's household. Now, I was hoping that I had paid more attention to her details.

I observed the two of them together. Both didn't look nervous at all despite my intense scrutiny. She placed her hand casually at Rikiya's hip, while my son circled his arm around her slim waist. There was an air of familiarity between them as if they had done this small display of affection a thousand times. Their body touched, side-by-side, showing a united front and suddenly I felt like I was the outsider.

"Umm, Asami-san?" She asked me in an unsure voice.

I wasn't ready to answer her, though. I simply stood there, at the hallway towards the main entrance of my house, blocking this intruder from entering my sanctuary. A forced smile was still plastered on my face. I heard someone clearing his throat, most probably Tao but I couldn't be sure, and I looked around.

Everyone was staring at me, waiting, wondering, anticipating; body tensed as if they were preparing themselves for a massive explosion that could destroy Tokyo in a blink. I glared at Tao and Haruka, but they both gave me blank expressions, carefully showing no emotions whatsoever. Their poker faces were the telltale sign that they had known all along. Which meant, Asami had also known. And still, all of them had hid this fact from me. Fucking awesome. They could start counting their breaths now, because the moment I got my hands on them, they were so fucking dead.

A hand nudged my forearm and I looked down. Mizuki stood beside me, observing Takamiya Suzu with curiosity in her golden eyes.

"Your girlfriend is very pretty, Riki-nii," she finally commented with a cheeky grin. She looked up at me, "Don't you think so, Dad?"

I opened my mouth. Then, I thought better and shut it again. My brain was working overtime, trying to make sense of my situation while listing all the people that deserved to die today. I decided that I would start from my beloved husband, who was at the top of my hit list for very obvious reasons: he apparently knew whom our son's girlfriend was, he hadn't had the courtesy to give me a fucking warning, and he hadn't come home yet. I began to wonder whether Asami was trying to run away to save his sorry ass from my wrath. That bastard. He was so going to die tonight. Slowly. Painfully. Mercilessly.

But for now, I had a guest to entertain.

"Suzu-chan," my brain finally managed to form a word. After taking another deep breath to control my emotions, I continued, "Welcome. Please, make yourself at home."

She gave me a smile that made my skin crawl. It was a beautiful smile, no doubt about it, but it also felt very wrong in so many levels. I considered myself to be a good judge of character. I usually could see through the layers of façade and it had helped a lot in my line of work. I had learnt to trust my instinct. And right now, everything about this girl just screamed 'WRONG' to me, though I couldn't really explain what was wrong. She scared me.

"Thank you for inviting me to join your family dinner, Asami-san," she replied softly. Her expression was gentle and her behavior was polite. In a glance, this girl was the perfect picture of a Japanese woman. Yet, I couldn't convince myself.

I nodded and stepped aside to allow her to enter my house. Rikiya gave me a relief smile before leading his girlfriend towards the living room, his hand steady at the small of her back.

"Father isn't here yet, Dad?" He asked casually as he walked, clearly believing that the worst had passed. He had no idea.

"He said he will be late," I told him succinctly. "We shouldn't wait for him. Let's start dinner now."

Suzu was clearly hesitant. "But, Asami-san, won't Asami-sama get angry if we start eating without him?"

Thankfully, following a few steps behind me with Rikiya by her side, she couldn't see my frown.

"Oh don't worry, Suzu-chan. Asami-sama just needs to get over it," I gave a cynical answer, looking at her over my shoulder and showing a smile that didn't reach my eyes.

She looked taken aback by my tone, obviously thinking that it wasn't an appropriate way to address someone as powerful as Asami Ryuichi, the master of the house. Oh well, if she had a genuine feeling for my son, she would soon learn who the master of this house was.

I strode towards the dinning room. Tao and Haruka quickly moved away when I passed them, nearly jumping in fear as if I had an incurable disease and they might catch it if they got too close. Sending them a silent frown, I caught a glimpse of guilt in their eyes. Good. They better felt guilty. And afraid. Very. Afraid.

Nao was hovering a few steps away from the door that led into the dining room and when I got near, he took my hand in his and squeezed it. Surprised, I stared into those hazel eyes that mirrored mine, scrutinizing my youngest son who had finally agreed to come down and join us for dinner.

"I don't like her either," he whispered softly, his voice so low that no one else could hear him. He even kept his face away from the others so that no one would know that he was saying something to me. "I am sorry, Dad. I tried to talk to him but he wouldn't listen to me."

Everything finally clicked into place. This explained Nao's behavior for the past few days. Apparently, Nao had also known about Rikiya's new relationship. Whether Rikiya had told him or he had found out on his own, it didn't matter. What's important was that it had upset Nao and it wasn't because he was jealous. I knew my youngest son well enough to be able to catch a trail of confusion and uncertainty in his voice. It was clear that Nao wanted to support his brother's choice of a girlfriend; he had always backed Rikiya up for everything, even when he'd known it would bring the two of them into troubles. My sons' MO was very predictable. Rikiya would plan and make decision; Nao would execute the decision to the dot. The fact that his older brother had also made wrong choices every now and then, resulting to both of them being grounded, had never bothered Nao so far. That was how much Nao had trusted his twin brother. So, when now Nao suddenly felt that he couldn't agree with Rikiya's decision, it scared him to hell.

It scared me too, but I tried to hide it from my youngest son. Instead, I gave his hand a gentle squeeze in return, feeling stronger now just by having him near me.

I didn't play favorite with my children. God knew I loved them all. I always tried to be fair and I treated all of them equally. Each of them was special to me and there was nothing in this world that would change my love for them. But indeed, Nao was always closer to me than the others. Rikiya and Mizuki would come to Asami first whenever they had problems, but Nao would seek comfort from me first. He would sit beside me, leaning his body to my side and resting his head on my shoulder, and then he would rant about some nonsense. That was his way of asking for support. He didn't need advice or solution. He just needed intimacy to ensure him that he was loved, which I would readily provide.

And it always worked both ways. Ever since he was still a toddler, whenever I felt down or sad, he could somehow sense it, no matter how hard I tried to hide it, and he would give me a hug without question. His presence always calmed me in a way the others couldn't. And at the moment, I really appreciated his silent comfort.

I gave Nao a more encouraging smile, "I am sure Rikiya knows what he is doing."

I just hoped that I was right.

* * *

Tao's text message was short. But that one word described his husband's latest mood perfectly well.

'_Murderous.'_

Asami gave a resigned sigh as he put his personal phone back to his inside pocket. He knew this was coming but he was hoping that Akihito would be more…accepting. Although, being such a realistic person, Asami knew that Akihito easily accepting Rikiya's new relationship was a bit too much to ask. Oh well, a man could hope.

Despite what everyone thought, Akihito was incredibly smart. Naïve, perhaps. And righteous. But sharp. And curious. And stubborn. A terrible combination that made Akihito a very good journalist and also the very reason why Asami had a headache every now and then.

Asami hadn't expected even for a second that they could entirely hide the truth behind Rikiya's unexpected relationship from Akihito. Which was why he had suggested the cover story to be as close to the truth as possible and also why he had told Rikiya to introduce Suzu to Akihito sooner rather than later. If there was one thing that Asami had learnt after nearly a decade of marriage, it was that voluntarily giving his husband as much half-truth as possible would stop Akihito from sticking his cute nose where it didn't belong.

"Sir, Takamiya-san is here," Kirishima's voice brought his mind back to the matter in hand.

He turned to face his guest, offering a polite smile as he greeted her. "This is a pleasant surprise, Takamiya-san."

The lady smiled as she strode into his office. Even in her late fifties, Takamiya Sakurako was still as perfect as Asami had remembered. Her beauty hadn't faded, gracing her with an air of quite confidence that she hadn't had the last time they had met. She wore an elegant black dress suited for a lady of her standing. Her matching black heels made no sound on the carpeted floor. Her long hair, now peppered with silver, was pulled up in a simple arrangement and her face was barely touched by makeup. Still, her modest appearance looked much more sophisticated than her haute couture daughter.

"Ryuichi, please," she chuckled as she took the seat across of Asami. Her feline-like movement was graceful. "No need for such formalities. We are old friends, after all. And thank you for agreeing to meet me on such a short notice."

There was no sight of a wedding ring on any of her gloved finger, Asami had observed. And he could still recall a good detail of that diamond ring, having an intimate close up look just the night before her wedding day.

"Old friends," Asami carefully tested the words on his tongue. He waited for a sharp sting of hurt that had often followed when he had thought about her in those early days. But he felt nothing now. The pain had been washed away for years and what's left was nothing more than the happy memory of their young and carefree days. "Are we, Sakurako?"

Her gentle smile was as serene as ever, calming, soothing. Asami couldn't remember how many times that exact, same smile had relaxed him in the past. Many, many times.

"I was not the one who cut all ties, Ryuichi." Her voice was warm and light, but there was a hint of wistfulness there.

Kirishima came with a tray of tea and she turned her gaze away from Asami for a moment. He watched her profile as she talked softly to his trusted secretary. This was the woman who had changed his entire life. He had made a vow never to meet her again, and yet, here she was, sitting across of him after more than 30 years. God, had it been that long?

Now, Asami felt…kind of old.

"Thank you, Kei," she said to Kirishima, addressing the stiff secretary by his given name, just like the old times. "It is good to see you again."

"It has been a while," there was a brief pause, "Takamiya-san."

She laughed heartily. "God, Kei, you are still as rigid as always!"

Kirishima blinked. But without any other word, he bowed low and retreated to stand behind Asami.

"Some things will never change, it seems," she shook her head slowly, a small smile on her lips. Her black eyes found Asami's golden ones as she held him still under her intense scrutiny. There was a hint of fondness in her voice as she commented casually, "You haven't changed much yourself, Ryuichi. Age has treated you well. You look even better now than when you were younger."

He made a polite smile. "I had to be a very ugly young man if you said that an old man looks better than that."

She sighed. "There is nothing old about you."

"You look amazing yourself, Sakurako," he replied easily. "But as much as I love to reminisce about the past, I doubt you are asking for a meeting just because you suddenly feel nostalgic."

She snorted. The familiar sound reminded him of a time long forgotten. A time when the world was simple and love was merely an imaginary concept that he couldn't comprehend. A time when he had thought that he was invincible, bullet proof and unstoppable. A time that he had buried deep under layers of betrayals, deaths and dark truths. It was weird how fast we could be reminded of things we had thought we had forgotten given the right trigger.

"Kichiro told me about our daughter's relationship with your-" She frowned, clearly looking for the right term.

"Son?" He supplied dutifully.

Another of those familiar snorts. She had given him a lot of those snorts in the past. Especially when she had thought that he was being cynical about people. Or the world. Once upon a time, she had been the one who balanced him, the light to his dark side, the healthy reminder of all the good things in life. He hadn't exactly loved her like a lover, but he had respected her as the woman who had provided him with comfort.

"-your _adopted_ son," she finally said.

He just nodded. As far as people knew, the twins were Akihito's sons who had been adopted into the Asami's family along with Akihito. The two of them had explained the intricacy of their relationship to the kids years ago, that Asami was actually their biological father and that it wouldn't change Akihito's love for them, blood ties or not. The kids had accepted it rather well. Their children's acceptance was the only thing that mattered to him and Akihito. And being Akihito's sons publicly made the twins less of a target in the eyes of his enemies. So, Asami didn't see the need to correct the misconception.

"And today, he came to my house to pick Suzu up for a…well, a date. A family dinner, he said. I have to admit he is such a polite and good boy. Very…charming. Very handsome. And he is clearly intelligent. He looks like a very promising young man. Not at all like what I imagined." She observed him as she continued, "He reminded me of the you long time ago."

There was time in the past when he would have felt guilty for lying to her. But that time had been long gone. Even before they had separated, he had quickly learnt to lie to her about almost everything without an ounce of guilt. Her father had wanted to keep her in the dark about their family's felonious affair. And Asami had never question Tsuji-san. The old man had practically taken Asami under his wings when he'd had absolutely nothing to offer in return and taught him everything he needed to know to survive. Sometimes, Asami still felt like he owed the old man his life, though Tsuji-san had died more than 30 long years ago, just three days before her wedding day.

"Funny," he said without losing a beat. "People usually claim that the boys were a bigger version of Akihito. Although Akihito would throw fits if he ever heard that. He hates the fact that the boys will soon outgrow him."

She stared at him without saying anything. After nearly a minute of thick silence, she sighed. "The hazel eyes may make people think that the boys are definitely his. And the high cheekbones. Perhaps also the lips. But the jaw is definitely yours. He also has your build. The way he talks or walks is what really reminds me of you, though; like he knows something I don't know and he thinks it is just polite not to tell me anything. It is…exasperating, honestly."

He laughed then. Something he hadn't done with anyone else other than Akihito and his children for a very long time. "What are you suggesting, Sakurako? That the boys are my spawn?"

"Are they not? Rikiya looks strangely like a mix between you and this Akihito. If I didn't know that Akihito is a man, I would say that he had given birth to those boys himself."

He didn't even lose a breath as he answered calmly, a good dose of firm certainty mixed with faked amusement in his voice, "As much as I want to entertain you with the idea, no, they are not mine. You should know better than anyone else how much I hate the notion of having children of my own."

The glint flashing in her eyes was hard to translate. But then she nodded slowly. "Yes, I do know. How can I forget that, Ryuichi?"

He ignored the rhetorical question. "So, how did you imagine the boy to be?" He asked out of curiosity than anything else.

She tilted her head, considering his question carefully. "I did a bit of investigation since Kichirou told me about the boy Suzu is now dating. And the man I hired reported that Rikiya is actually the son of someone you live with, someone…who serves you for…luxury. You know what I mean."

It was so Sakurako to try to be polite about everything and everyone. Coming from an old, wealthy family, she was raised to be a lady with impeccable manner.

"Sorry, I don't know what you mean. You need to be more specific than that, Sakurako," he teased just to make fun of her. He had forgotten how easily conversation had flowed between them. "Did you mean, a gold digger? A conman? A whore?"

She frowned, pursing her lips in annoyance, "Stop mocking me, Ryuichi. Anyway, I guess it is understandable to say that I had a very low expectation of the boy."

"You think he will use sex for his benefit, just like his sire?" His lips still curled into a lazy smirk.

"You are always so crude," she complained.

"As you are a prude," he replied easily, quickly falling into their old banter.

She blushed. The last time he had said that was right after he had describe his fantasy of her doing things that she wouldn't soberly do, in a very graphical detail. Yet, they both had known that she would do it anyway simply because, well, because she would have done anything to please him then. He remembered that she had blushed too that night. The arousing pink color had spread nicely to her bare breasts, encouraging him to elaborate an even more blatant description of what his twenty years old self had wanted to do to this beautiful woman in his arms. And given her reaction now, she was most probably remembering the same incident.

He was about to say something when his phone rang for what seemed to be the hundredth time today.

"_Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone  
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run  
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess  
It's a love story baby just say yes"_

He let out a wry sigh. With a practiced ease, he took his phone from his pocket and glared at the screen as if he could stop the thing from ringing just by staring at it.

"He also messaged me at least a dozen times, Sir," Kirishima said quietly, knowing perfectly well who the caller was just by the fucking ring tone.

Asami wiped his eyes, praying to whatever deity out there to let him avoid Akihito's latest dramatic outburst. Of course, nothing that good would ever happen. Why couldn't Akihito accept the lie easily, like Sakurako had done? Surely, Takamiya Kichirou didn't have to go through this entire ordeal just to convince his wife that their daughter was now dating the son of his rival. Most probably, he had just informed her casually, told her to leave the two young lovebirds alone, and she had accepted it, just like that. No questions. No accusations. No headaches.

"What does he want now?" He murmured more to himself than to his secretary, although he knew perfectly well what had irked his husband.

Kirishima sent an uneasy glance towards Sakurako, but when Asami said nothing else, his secretary cleared his throat before answering, "He wants you to be home by 9.30PM…"

The way Kirishima ended the sentence told him that there was a continuation to that nonnegotiable demand.

"Damnit, Kirishima. Just tell me."

There was a long hesitancy before his secretary finally continued diplomatically, "…or we might need to get you a hotel room for tonight, Asami-sama."

Now was already 8.45PM.

Great. It wouldn't be the first time Akihito had kicked him out of the house. Once, he had come home after two days of business trip only to find that Akihito had hired the best security company in Tokyo to change all the locks without informing Asami. To be fair, he had kind of forgotten to let Akihito know that he would be gone for a while due to some emergency. When he'd found out that Akihito was mad enough to lock him out, he had tried to respect Akihito's wish, by staying away for a few days despite the urge to just tear the door apart. Even Mizuki hadn't been able to persuade Akihito to letting him into the house. Asami had sent flowers, gifts, and finally, a limited invitation to a private photography exhibition by a well-known artist along with a letter full of hand-written apology, before all had been forgiven. Forgiven, but never forgotten.

The phone died before it started ringing again, screaming that cheesy lyrics in his silent office.

"Call him before he gets a seizure. Tell him I am having a guest at the moment and that I will be home in an hour," he said finally. Then, reconsidering how Akihito might react to the news, he added hastily, "And tell him that…I will…make it up to him. Well, you know the drill."

Kirishima simply nodded and bowed before he left the room to do as told. Asami turned his attention back to Sakurako just to find the woman staring at him as if she just realized that he was one of the endangered species that needed protection. Like she was wondering what the hell this rare animal doing in a high floor office building in the middle of Tokyo, wearing expensive suits and drinking high quality whiskey.

"What?" he asked, bemused.

She said slowly, "Perhaps, I was wrong. Maybe…well, maybe, you did change, Ryuichi."

* * *

"I think it is perfectly reasonable for powerful men to have a few lovers. It is in their nature as much as a proof of their power," Suzu said gently with so much certainty as if her answer explained the basic law of gravity. "It will be much easier if one can accept this fact rather than to fight it. As long as the man can provide for them, I don't see any reason for the lovers to complain."

I didn't even know how our conversation had managed to turn into this subject.

"If they are really powerful, why do they need to prove anything to anyone?" Nao asked with a tone as gentle as Suzu's, smiling in the way most people would smile when they complimented someone that they cared about. But his eyes told a completely different story. "And claiming that it's in their nature is an insult to those men who can actually be in power and still not be an asshole."

I had been hoping that everyone could stay civil until it was time for Suzu to go home. Suzu, however, had made that simple goal extremely difficult to achieve. She was very respectful towards Rikiya and Tao, mostly polite with me, and generally friendly with Mizuki. But it was clear from the start that she looked down upon Haruka.

When I had asked my kids to help me serving dinner, she'd frowned disapprovingly. Sitting regally in a posture that would put the Emperor himself into shame, she turned into Haruka and asked, "Isn't serving dinner your duty as the Asamis' assistant, Ando-san?"

Suzu had made it into a question, keeping her expression casual and light, but her tone was as commanding as if she had expected Haruka to kneel in front of her. The entire room had fallen silent. Even Rikiya had stilled in shock.

Her arrogance was unbelievable. And here I thought no one could be more arrogant that my freaking husband. The fact that this ridiculous behavior had come from a twenty years old girl with nothing but her family name to brag about made it even more infuriating.

"Haruka isn't our family assistant, Suzu-san," I had told her sternly. "She _is_ family."

Her bewildered expression had told me that the idea had puzzled her. But my own hardened expression had stopped her from saying another word. It had been awkward, but obediently my kids had moved to help putting the dishes on the table and offering tea as they had done so many times in the past.

I had hoped that we could leave it at that. But Nao had apparently taken offense and he had no trouble showing his irritation. Everyone knew that my youngest son inherited his father's overprotective streak. Nao was normally an easygoing boy, always smiling and laughing. But as soon as someone disturbed what he considered as his, he would become unreasonably aggressive. And to him, Suzu's rude remark towards Haruka was as an attack to his family.

By the time dinner was over, the tension had escalated to an unbearable degree. Trying to make everyone relax, I'd moved everyone to the living room. I had started a conversation by asking how Rikiya had met Suzu. But somehow, that small talk had evolved into one heated discussion between Suzu and Nao. Not that anyone was yelling or screaming. But the faked gentle tones and feigned smiles spoke louder than any shouting.

"Oh," Suzu tilted her head like a curious little bird. Her lips curved into an indulging smile one usually reserved for handling a toddler who couldn't even differentiate right from left. "And do you actually know _anyone_ like that? Someone who is in power and not…acting like an asshole, as you nicely put it? Or was that just a naïve assumption?"

Nao's smile grew sweeter as his eyes turned colder. "Me? Naïve?"

"Nao, please," Rikiya muttered a stiff request, obviously wanting nothing more than to end the debate before blood was spilled. Metaphorically speaking, of course. I knew Nao wouldn't hurt anyone, moreover a girl.

Rikiya's plea was obviously a wrong move because Nao quickly directed his icy glare at his brother. His hazel eyes were blazing with annoyance. His body tensed as if he was hurt. If his mouth tightened any more, Nao might as well glue his lips permanently.

I could understand Nao's frustration. Suzu was one pompous girl. And I didn't like her sharing this powerful-men-has-the-right-for-multiple-lovers notion in front of the young Mizuki. Some people might be fine with it, and I guess it was their choice. But I wanted my kids to have enough self-respect not to accept being cheated simply because it would make their life easier. To me, money and status weren't the right reason to start an ménage a trois. Or any type of relationship, really.

Still, Suzu was a guest in our house and she was Rikiya's girlfriend, no matter how disappointing. That, and I realized that kicking her out of our house might not be the wisest way to approach this delicate situation with Takamiya Group. I was still angry with Asami for the lack of warning about Suzu, but I didn't want to cause unnecessary problem for the bastard either.

_What does Rikiya see in her? _For the hundredth time, the question popped in my mind. _Did they truly love each other?_ I couldn't imagine loving someone as arrogant as Suzu. But perhaps other people also couldn't imagine loving someone as arrogant as Asami. My own husband was actually the complete opposite of a person one would want as son-in-law-to-be. My father had thrown fits when he had met Asami for the first time. So, who was I to judge, right?

_But if this is all Asami's scheme, the bastard will regret the day he met me, _I promised myself.

"Does anyone want dessert?" I asked in another effort to change the subject. We'd already had desserts right after dinner. But after making various excuses to stop their argument, I kinda run out of excuses.

"I want dessert, Dad!" Mizuki raised her hand cheerfully but even her voice sounded strained.

"Me too, Akihito," Tao added with an understanding look on his face. He didn't like sweet things so I knew he was just helping me to create distraction.

Apparently, Suzu didn't want to give up the subject yet. Her intense gaze fixed on Tao as he stood up to follow me to the kitchen.

"What do you think, Liu-san?" she asked softly. Her eyes, however, gleamed with twisted satisfaction.

Tao stilled on his way to me. "Excuse me?"

She sent him her best serene smile that made her look like those princess in historical dramas. "As the next leader of Baishe and one of the most influential person in Sion Group, it is safe to say that we can qualify you as one of those powerful men. Your opinion in this matter has more value rather than mine or Nao-san's."

I swore the room had gone a few degrees colder by the time Suzu was done with her short speech. Tao stared at the young girl as if she had no idea what she was talking about. But from the glint of amusement in her eyes, I knew that she knew exactly what she was talking about. I might not have done my research properly when I had investigated the Takamiyas, skipping anything about Suzu because I had thought that the girl was just another shallow doll. But from the way she had acted all afternoon, it was clear that she had done her homework better than me.

_She investigated us_, I realized grimly. _She may not understand the complex dynamic between us, like when she thought that she could order Haruka around. But she has somehow learnt the power map between us, including everyone's weaknesses and strengths._

For one, she knew that although Asami didn't exactly declare his love for me in front of public, my opinion mattered to Asami and our children, which was why she was being polite to me; just polite enough not to offend her boyfriend or my husband, whom she believed to be the one who made the decisions in our family. However, she also knew that I didn't actually have power in the organisation so she didn't bother showing me the same respect she showed Rikiya or Tao.

She apparently also knew that Haruka's relationship with Asami wasn't as strong as with Tao, Kirishima or Suoh. Haruka might be closer to me rather than to Asami. In fact, in the beginning, I was the one who had been very persistent in treating Haruka as a family. So, in Suzu's view, Haruka had the least power here.

She was being friendly with Mizuki simply because she knew Rikiya and Asami wouldn't be happy if anyone mistreated the little princess. But in general, she didn't think Mizuki would have enough power to kick her ass. Most probably, she merely tolerated Mizuki until she could strengthen her position in the family.

She recognized Tao as the next leader of Baishe and she saw how much power he had to influence Sion Group in general. So, she treated Tao with a lot of respect. She'd obviously heard about Tao's habit of sleeping around, having a few lovers at a time and dumping them after a few days only to be replaced with a new set of pretty boys. Not that it was exactly a secret among polite society.

Nao, however, was an unidentified threat to her. It seemed that she still couldn't decide where to place Nao in the power pyramid. That was why she was still trying to be more or less polite even though she kept pushing Nao's limit.

_Oh my god. She is testing the water. Like a wolf observing a group of goats to see which one is the weakest and easiest to catch. To kill. To eat._

And I'd thought that she was merely an accessory to the Takamiya household.

The realization sickened me. This girl scared me. The thought that Asami had let her entering our lives shocked my very core.

"Dad, are you okay?" Rikiya asked me carefully.

For the second time today, I found everyone staring at me. Tao had moved without me noticing. I was too busy analyzing Suzu, I guess. He was now standing beside me, his strong arm around my waist, steadying me. His body was warm against my shock-chilled skin. I looked up to see his worried face. My friend was frowning like he was ready to carry me princess-style to the nearest hospital.

"You are very pale, Akihito," he said. "You look like you are about to faint. Are you unwell?"

"I…"

What? What could I say without alerting Suzu?

I looked around and froze when my gaze landed on Suzu. She stared at my direction. Or was it at Tao? Or was it the both of us? Her eyes were full of excitement like she just found out that Channel suddenly had a clearing sale. What else did she just find out about us? What other weakness had we showed her?

I gripped Tao's arm, trying to convey silently that this girl was dangerous. That was when I heard a familiar deep baritone voice from the doorway.

"What's going on here?"

I could feel more than see that Tao was startled. He didn't jump at the sound of Asami's voice, of course. But the way his body went so still to the point it seemed like he stopped breathing was as revealing as if he was screaming his surprise like a little girl.

It took him a second to recover and then, in a slow and deliberate movement, he stepped away from me, carefully putting a few feet between us before bowing low in respect to my husband.

"Asami-sama," he greeted.

The others had bowed and murmured similar greetings with various title. But I didn't really pay them any attention. My mind was still occupied by the effort to find out what Suzu's next agenda was. There was no doubt in me that Takamiyas' main goal was to tear Sion Group apart. And the most efficient way to do it was by breaking the inside. The very foundation of Sion Group. Asami's inner circle. His friends and family. Our family.

"Akihito?" Asami asked when I didn't say anything to greet him. I looked up at him and the frown in his face quickly turned to one of concern. I had to look even worse than I felt. Because in a few long strides, he was standing beside me, his solid arms felt strong against my shoulders, his fingers automatically caressing my nape. "What happened?"

No one answered and I just shook my head. He turned towards Tao and repeated his question slowly in a voice colder than the cruelest winter in Siberia. "What. Happened?"

Tao opened his mouth to answer but before he could say anything, I lied, "Stop glaring! It is nothing. My low blood pressure, most probably. I must have moved too fast, I feel dizzy for a bit."

"The wall has more color than your face," he snapped. "And you are freezing. It can't be 'nothing'!"

He was worried. And most probably tired, as well. He had been working for more than 14 hours by now, most probably skipping lunch and dinner and surviving solely on tobacco, caffeine and alcohol. Logically, I could understand why he had snapped. But I wasn't known to be the most logical person in the planet. My irritation at him for failing to be home on time came back like a hurricane, causing destruction to everything that stood in its path, and it was amplified by the fact that he hadn't given me any warning about Suzu.

So, instead of welcoming him home with a warm smile like what any loving partner would do for their weary beloved, I yelled back at him, "Maybe if you were home on time, you would know what happened!"

He narrowed his eyes at me. Then, in a much more controlled voice, he said, "I am not going to argue with you when you look like you are about to drop dead at any moment."

To Nao, he said, "Go help your dad to the bedroom. He needs some rest."

Being a good host for one arrogant bitch like Suzu was more than what I could handle in one evening. I didn't need Asami to add his own domineering attitude into the mess. It was like pouring oil into fire. If I was angry before, now I was outraged with pure fury.

Fifteen years ago, I would have shouted back at him, yelling and protesting his egotistical self to my last breath. But having kids had transformed our relationship in more ways than one. There was no written rules or anything. But instinctively, our approach in expressing our disapproval at each other had evolved over the years.

The kids needed to learn to respect us as their parents and it wouldn't help if we didn't show respect to each other in front of them. I didn't call Asami 'Bastard' in front of the kids, for example, and he didn't call me 'Brat' or 'Boy', as well. Those had become an endearment that we used when the kids weren't around. We also tried to come as a united front and not to fight in front of them. Arguments were to be done in the safety of our bedroom or any other private places that we could find during any emergency disagreement.

But just like every other parents in the world, we still made blunders every now and then. Asami had a hard time controlling his arrogant self and still got the tendency to believe that he had the final say in everything. He thought that he knew what was best and I just needed to accept his decisions and moved on. I hated when he did this. But it was even more infuriating when he did it in front of the kids. Like the way he had done just now by commanding me to go to the bedroom with Nao and expecting me to just march like a good little soldier.

To be fair to him, I shouldn't have yelled at him about going home late. Accusing and pointing fingers at each other in front of the children (moreover a guest!) was a big no. But just like Asami had trouble controlling his haughty ass, I had trouble controlling my impulsive temperament.

Tonight, however, I wouldn't give in to the temptation of shouting back at him. Not because I didn't want to make the situation worse. And sadly, it was not because I had the conscience that our kids were in the room with us. Nope. My current reasoning was nothing chivalrous like that. In fact, I was beyond reasoning already.

I just had enough of people treating me like I was nothing but Asami's whore. It wasn't exactly rational, since it had never bothered me before. At some level, I could even understand that people seeing me as nothing but his whore actually gave me an advantage. It gave me the privacy that I wanted in my life, a sort of normalcy that was built from everyone undermining my existence in his life. But the fact that even Asami himself treated me like he could just bark an order and I would gladly jump to obey was just too much to handle.

So, just to spite him, I did the thing that Asami least expected me to do. I bowed to him, murmured a cool "In that case, good night, Asami-sama", turned around, walked away from the living room, went into our bedroom, and locked the door behind me. Let Asami and all his conflict with the Takamiyas or whoever it was be damned. He wanted a doll-like-kept-whore who would do nothing but obey his every command? He would get one.

It was childish, I knew. But, I had never claimed to be a perfect saint with no flaw.


	9. Chapter 9 Lover's Hate

**Chapter 9. Lover's Hate**

"_Stronger than lover's love is lover's hate. Incurable, in each, the wounds they make." - Euripides_

"What do you mean you can't?" I asked angrily, ignoring the way everyone was pretending to be busy and not eavesdropping around us.

My young assistant squirmed. "I am sorry, Takaba-san. I know this is very last minute but I really need to leave early today. My girlfriend doesn't feel well and I want to-"

"Doesn't feel well? Is Aiko sick?"

There was a hesitant silence. "Not really. It is just…she is having a rough time lately. I am worried to leave her by herself."

Koji had been working for me for more than two year. I'd met his girlfriend several times when we'd hung out after work. She was an easygoing girl, the cheerful type who would blend in quickly into any environment. So, Koji worrying about her meant that the situation was quite serious.

Normally, an excuse less than that would be enough for me. I didn't usually hold it against my team when they needed to leave work due to personal crisis. Partners and families were as important as one's health and emotional wellbeing. No one would be able to focus on their work when they were worried about their loved ones. And unlike many Japanese employers, I didn't believe in working my team to a lonely death.

This past week, however, everything just irritated me beyond reason. And, unreasonable as it was, any show of affection people around me displayed towards their romantic partner made me want to murder someone. Preferably my so-called husband.

"This is very last minute," I told Koji despite what my logic told me to say.

Koji fidgeted, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He nodded but his face was grim with resignation. "I understand, Takaba-san. I am sorry. If it is not possible, I can understand." He turned to walk away, but his shoulders were rigid with tension and his steps were stiff.

The sudden wave of guilt made me want to puke. Koji had done nothing wrong. My envy was irrational, my anger was misdirected, and I suddenly felt ashamed.

"No, wait," I wiped my face wearily, stalling to get better control of my inner demons. "Of course, you can go, Koji. I am sorry. It is just…"

I trailed off. Just what? My jealousy because he had a loving relationship with his girlfriend? My anger at my own lover that Koji knew almost nothing about? My guilty consciences that ate me inside out?

"I am sorry," I finally settled like an idiot. "Please send my regards to Aiko. I hope everything will be fine. Don't hesitate to ask for help if you need anything."

His face softened quickly, morphing into one full of gratitude. "Thank you, Takaba-san. I really appreciate this."

As I watched him exiting my studio, the uncomfortable feeling grew inside me. It was a lump of shame, regret, anger, and hundreds of other negative emotions that I didn't even want to acknowledge.

"We are still ahead of schedule, aren't we?" a familiar feminine voice interrupted my quiet observation.

I turned to face Yamada Reiko, the creative director of an upscale lifestyle magazine, which was now one of my main clients. She was an attractive woman in her mid thirties who always smartly dressed like a stylish hipster. At 5 feet 2 inches, her appearance wasn't exactly intimidating, but there was something in the way she held herself that made most people instinctively regard her with respect.

Unsurprisingly, being such a talented creative director, she was a perfectionist through and through. She only approved the best quality of work and she took no bullshit from anyone. During our first project together years ago, she'd declared that my work was one of those few that met her high standard. Satisfied with the result, she'd pushed for her company to sign a long-term contract with my studio. With her fierce passion to create great artworks, working with her wasn't always easy, even though I found her to be one of my most reasonable clients. I highly respected her and over the years, Reiko-san'd become more of a close friend than a mere client.

"Yes, we are a few days ahead of schedule, Reiko-san," I smiled reassuringly at her.

She frowned, crossing her lean arms in front of her chest in a display of disapproval. "Then, there is no need to rush, isn't there?"

Knowing where this conversation would lead, I just shrugged and started to walk towards my tiny but more private office. There was no way I would have this conversation with her in front of my team.

As soon as we were safe behind closed door, her scolding started. "This isn't like you at all, Akihito-san. You have been acting like an ass for the past week. You make all your team members jumpy as hell. What happened?"

I slowly sat behind my desk, pretending to work on some imaginary paperwork, anything to avoid this conversation. "It's nothing," I tried to keep my tone light. "I feel a bit stressed out. That's all. You know, work pressure and all that."

She exhaled impatiently. "What work pressure? You just said that we are ahead of schedule."

Playing dumb, I paid unnecessary attention to the nonexistent layer of dust that covered my desk, carefully wiping it with my bare palm. "Your magazine isn't my only client, Reiko-san."

"Fine," she said. "Which project is it that stresses you out? Come on. Talk to me. Discussing it always makes you feel better."

"It is actually against the non-disclosure agreement to discuss my other projects with you," I muttered lamely, knowing that the excuse was stupid since I had discussed a lot of other projects with her over the years. Her creative ideas had helped me many times before.

Apparently, she realised it, too, because she replied sarcastically, "NDA, my ass. If I want to sabotage your business, I would have done so years ago."

Her offended tone made me feel even guiltier. She was just trying to help and I was accusing her of breaking my trust. What was wrong with me? I had successfully convinced everyone whom I cared about to hate me, all in the span of a few weeks.

"Sorry."

My apology was nearly inaudible, unsteady just like how my world was now. I heard her sighing, but I didn't dare to look at her. Embarrassed with myself, I stared at my fingers as if they were the most interesting things in the world.

"Whatever your problem is, it won't be the end of the world, Takaba-san. So, stop making the face as if you are going to die today."

"I screwed up," I finally admitted, remembering the way my children had looked at me when they'd realized that there would be no homemade breakfast for them again this morning. The moment the kids had entered the kitchen just to find an empty table, which was the common occurrence for the past few weeks, they had looked so crestfallen it had actually broke my heart. But I didn't have the energy or the patience to do anything lately. If I could, I just wanted to lie on bed and did nothing. Forcing myself to get out of bed and function properly as a human being was already a struggle without adding household duties on top of it.

Having spoiled since young by my homemade breakfast, I knew all three of them disliked cereal wholeheartedly. But, the twins had taken the box of cornflakes without any comment. Mizuki, however, was a different story. She'd merely stared at me, her amber eyes layered thick with tears that she'd had to fight to hold back. Her small body had trembled with unspoken emotions.

"Are you and father going to have a divorce?"

The quivering question had hit me harder than the cold treatment I got from Asami.

* * *

_After staying out of the house as best as he could for almost the entire week, Asami finally gave up believing that a combination of time and personal space would butter me up. I wasn't surprised when that afternoon, the kids called from school to tell me that they would stay over at my parents' place for the night. I knew right away that the time for revenge had come._

_It was obvious that the stay over had been decided under Asami's direct order. He always sent the kids to my parents' place whenever he felt that we needed some 'adult' time. Although the kids always gave some convincing reasons on why they wanted to stay the night at their grandparents' house, I knew that it was all merely excuses. I pretended ignorance, though, and gracefully accepted their white lies._

_The moment I hung up on my kids, I could predict exactly what Asami would do tonight. The man might have extraordinary intelligence that allowed him to be the top dog in Japan, if not the world. But whenever he encountered any type of couple problem, he would turn into a simpleton. His method to solve our relationship issues was so predictable: sex, sometimes preceded by expensive gifts. I wanted to laugh at how shallow he could be at times. But, his predictability actually gave me an advantage. With a wicked grin on my face, I started planning. _

_To Asami's credit, he actually noticed that something might be wrong the moment he stepped through the front door only to find me waiting for him like a dutiful wife. Or a dutiful kept-whore, as everyone seemed to believe. He froze, most probably waiting for me to hurl things at him. And if I had to be honest, that was exactly what I wanted to do. Counting silently to five, I tried to rein my anger instead, and offered him my sweetest smile. His frown grew deeper and I reveled in the bewildered expression flashing in his eyes. _

_As part of my performance tonight, I purposely wore thin, white tank top and obscenely tight cotton short that barely covered my bottom. The short was so tight across my groin it might as well be transparent. I'd love to to see his reaction when I needed to pick up something from the floor later. The top wasn't any better, as it barely concealed my peaked nipples, showcasing the nubs hidden behind the fabric in all its lewdness. I might not be as young as when we'd first met, but I knew my body still had its old charm. And from the way Asami raised his eyebrow after eyeing my entire appearance, it was clear that he appreciated my outfit tonight._

"_Welcome home," I greeted him with warmth that I didn't actually feel, sounding perfectly like the devoted wife who greeted her husband in one of those lame soap opera. "You look tired."_

_There was a hesitant silent before he answered calmly, "I am home."_

"_Do you prefer dinner or bath first?" A classic question could never go wrong, right?_

_I took his briefcase and put it aside, waiting patiently for him to answer._

"_I had dinner already," he replied carefully. There was a hint of regret in his voice, as if he was thinking that should he know that I would be so pliant back at home, he would prefer to have dinner with me. "I should have told you earlier."_

_I forced myself to smile wider although the effort hurt my cheeks. "It is okay. I can freeze the food for later. Bath then?"_

_He stared at me as I assisted him to take his coat off. There was an unreadable glint in his eyes. Usually, there would be little hints that I could read from his body language. It wouldn't be obvious to other people, but when you live with a man for 15 years, spending most of your nights with him, you tended to pick up a few patterns in his behavior. Like the way the muscle in his jaw slightly twitched whenever he got frustrated arguing with me, or the way his amber eyes sharpened whenever he was lusting after me but knew he needed to wait until the kids were asleep. Tonight, however, there was nothing I could read and it made me nervous. _

_Did he get suspicious? Was my plan unraveled before it even started?_

"_Later, maybe," he said slowly._

_His golden eyes followed my every move as if he was trying to determine what was the reason behind my sudden change of heart. Clearly, he had expected a more aggressive reaction from me, a fight with a lot of yelling and shouting, which usually ended with him fucking me senseless. Perhaps, he wasn't the only one who turned into a simpleton every time we had an argument. Well, if that were what he expected tonight, he would be very disappointed because screaming at him was the last thing I would do._

_Without a word, I lowered my gaze, displaying a submissive attitude that I had never possessed. Slowly, tantalizingly, I stroked his dark gray suit. Like most suits inside his walked-in closet, this one was also bespoke, custom-tailored according to his size by the famous Ascot Chang. Asami didn't like ready-to-wear clothing, even when it was stamped with the brand of famous fashion houses. Too commoner, I guessed. All his shirt and suit was made specifically for his solid body and somehow, they all managed to make him look taller and broader. Dangerously sexy. _

_He let his hands relax by his sides as I took his suit off, pushing it down his arms from behind him and placed it over the nook of my own arm._

"_Your tie," my voice was tender with just a slight caress of sensuality. Obediently, he turned to face me so I could help removing his tie. _

_For a brief moment, I paused to admire this amazing specimen of a man. Today, Asami was wearing a silk black tie on top of pale blue shirt underneath his suit. No vest. The expanse of soft cotton hugged his broad torso perfectly, creating an illusion of a safety in the embrace of his strong arms. My hands casually caressed the fabric that covered his well-built chest. His body felt like it was moulded from pure granite, layered thick with hard muscles that rippled under my touch. Men and women would kill to have this man protecting and showering them with his love. And I knew at least one woman who would even kill her own son for that. Literally._

_Begrudgingly, I pushed the thought of Emi back to the furthest corner of my brain. I didn't need the ghost of her memory to fuel my anger tonight. Things had been messy enough without bringing up her name into our fight._

_Asami said nothing when I took my time to loosen the knot of his tie, caressing the bare skin on his nape for longer than what was necessary. He sighed as I briefly massaged the tensed muscle there. Like a well-trained puppy, he bowed his head, eager to give my hands a better access to do my magic. I let him enjoy a few minutes of soothing massage before I got back to his tie. The barely suppressed longing sound he gave me when my hands left his nape was very rewarding. __Once the tie was off, I placed it on top of the suit draped over my arm. Silently, I opened the first few buttons of his shirt, revealing more than a glimpse of his sturdy neck, and rolled the sleeves of his shirt._

_Asami didn't move. He seemed to barely even breath. But from the way he was watching my every move, he clearly still remained wary of me. His stance told me that he was ready to step back, putting a safe distance between us before he lost his temper, just in case I suddenly shout at him like the last time we had a fight._

_Well, it was easy to fix._

_Slowly, very slowly, I pressed our body together, from thighs to chests. His cock was flaccid against my lower abdomen, so I rolled my hips to provide the friction needed to rouse that primitive hunger. The suggestive act quickly relaxed him. I could feel the tension bleed out of his stiff shoulders and doubt instantly left his eyes. He circled his arms around my waist, swaying us slowly in a comfortable silence. As I said, sex was Asami's answer for every single issue in our relationship. The moment he was sure he could fuck me he automatically thought that everything would be fine._

_Predictable._

"_I have something for you," he said with a small smile on his sexy lips._

_I almost snorted. Almost. Thankfully, I managed to stop myself. But, see? Here come the ridiculously expensive gifts. As if he could bribe me like how he had bribed some corrupt politicians and law officers, as the rumors said. Not that I, or anyone else, had ever found any proof._

_However, faking excitement, I raised my brow expectantly. "A gift? For me?"_

_For a moment, I was afraid that it would be too much. My voice sounded fake to my own ears. I wasn't delusional. I knew I was a bad liar and I was worried he would see through my terrible acting. But his easy smile slowly turned into a smug one. Either he was desperate enough to make amend to me to the point where he ignored all the misleading signs or my acting was just that good when I had a very strong motivation to do so. Perhaps it was a combination of both._

"_Of course, for you. Who else? It is in my briefcase. A black box. Go on. Take it. It is yours." He nudged me encouragingly after giving me a quick peck on the lips._

_Pretending enthusiasm, I quickly went through his briefcase as he strode towards the living room. I found the box and recognized the familiar Bvlgari logo right away. There had been nothing I wanted more than to throw the box across the room, preferably at his arrogant self. But doing so would be counterproductive to my original plan. So, I forcefully reined my temper._

_Instead, I took the luxurious gift box with me, hung the suit and tie in the laundry room, and went into the kitchen to get him an empty glass and a bottle of Yamazaki single malt whiskey, his favourite. _

_When I walked into the living room, carefully balancing the gift box, the glass, and the bottle in my arms, I observed my so-called husband. Asami sat at his favourite leather armchair with his eyes closed, looking unusually subdued as he rested his head on the headrest. He did look tired. There was a sag in the line of his broad shoulders. His face was paler than usual. And his body slightly lost its usual elegance. _

_I paused for a few heartbeats, wondering about the heavy burden that seemed to wear him down. A burden that I might never know, moreover understand. Asami had never told me anything about his work life. Even when I asked him about his day, he just gave me a smile and said that it was okay. 'Being able to come home to you is more than enough to make my day better,' he had answered one night when he'd come home looking weary and I'd asked him whether there was anything I could do to help._

_The distant memory made me question the wisdom of my plan. This wasn't a man looking for another argument. He didn't even seem to have the energy required to participate in a shouting match. This was a man who was pleading for comfort in the warm embrace of his lover. A man who was looking for sanctuary where he could rest without being judged or humiliated or viewed as weak. A man who needed a place to lick his wounds in peace. For a while, my love for him won and it kicked my insecurity back to its corner. _

_Quietly, I poured him a few fingers of the fiery liquid and placed the glass at the edge of the table by his side. He slowly opened his eyes, smiled at me, and took the glass. _

"_Thank you, Akihito," he said with obvious gratitude. _

_I placed the bottle on the table and nodded with a more genuine smile, ready to forgo my stupid revenge plan and proceed with a night of passionate lovemaking. _

_But then, Asami took a sip and stilled as if he just remembered something, staring into space absentmindedly. His expression was blank yet his golden eyes were troubled. It was clear that his mind was wandering to matters I knew nothing of. Matters that he would never trust me with. Matters that he would share with many different people but me. _

_As I watched him swirling the liquid, his focus already at a place I didn't belong to, I realized that for him, tonight wasn't about making amend. Asami didn't come home because he felt guilty. I doubted he even realized why I'd been mad. He was simply tired of arguing with me. Perhaps, he was also tired of his world and yearned for some tender loving, which was what he wanted from me. If making amend were what he needed to do to get it, he would do it although he mightn't understand the reason why. No wonder there was none of his usual honest reactions that I could read. Apparently, tonight, it was all acting._

_Deep down, I understood why he did it. I did that, too, from time to time, when I felt that his behavior was beyond my reasoning. Let's be honest here. Sometimes, we yielded to the people we loved not because we felt guilty, not even because we understood the problem, but more because we treasured that person too much to make a big deal out of the matter in hand._

_There were times like now, however, when superficial remorse wasn't enough. My anger reared its ugly head without warning and my temper came back with renewed vigor. I was like an addict who knew fully well that the drugs would do me no good, and yet, I couldn't help myself. _

_So, instead of forgiving him like I was about to do, I steeled myself to go through with my plan. _

"_It is nice of you to buy me a gift," I said as I climbed into his lap, dragging him out of whatever internal meeting he held in his head. Circling my hands around his neck, I forced him to look at me in the eyes._

_His surprise was priceless. He clearly didn't expect me to eagerly accept the gift, moreover to straddle him in an obvious attempt to show my appreciation. I took the metallic gray Bvlgari watch out of its box. It was thin and surprisingly light. Prime quality, obviously. Years working with fashion models had taught me a thing or two. So, I knew that this watch could have as well cost him millions of yens. Seductively placing it in his hand, I held out my left hand to him, silently asking him to put the ridiculously expensive watch around my bare wrist. In his shock, he just sat there, staring at my hand, too stunned to react._

_I leaned forward, nuzzling his neck with my nose and lips. "Don't you think placing a watch around one's wrist feels like binding him to you?" I whispered into his ear._

_Succumbing into momentary temptation, I licked his earlobe, caressing the skin behind it using the tip of my nose. My other hand roamed the side of his body freely. I couldn't see his face, so most probably I was just imagining his smile. But he placed his arms around my waist and started rubbing my back possessively._

"_A binding, huh?"_

_Grinning, I sat on my heels to get a better look of him. "Remember the time when you chained my ankles and wrists? After you got me deported? You were such a jerk," I complained, but the smile softened my words. "Well, you are always a jerk, I guess. I just forget sometimes."_

_His relaxed laugh caught me unprepared. With one fluid movement, he fastened the watch around my wrist. "You are in a strange mood tonight, Akihito."_

"_Ummm," I rolled my hips on his lap. "Does this feel strange to you?"_

_A deep groan as my bottom pressed against his cock was my reward._

"_Is that a complain?" I teased. Playfully, I rose to my knees. But as soon as my ass left his cock, he pushed me back down. _

"_I completely approve," he said with mirth. His cock quickly grew harder under me as he played my hips for his pleasure. "Do you want that?"_

"_Hmm?" _

_He pulled me aggressively until my chest was pressed against his, so tightly there wasn't even a millimeter between us. If someone were to slip a match between our bodies, the friction would be enough to light it on fire. "Do you want me to bind you tonight?"_

_What I wanted was for him to grovel in regret for treating me like a whore in front of Rikiya's girlfriend, who unfortunately, happened to be a very disdainful bitch. But he would never understand why I felt humiliated by his arrogance. Not even if I painted my reasoning in big capital letters on our living room wall. Asami believed it was his right to command anyone as he saw fit. He couldn't accept the idea that not everyone would jump happily to follow his orders, no matter how much he thought he knew best. I didn't know how else I could explain it to him. If words couldn't get through that thick skull of his, perhaps action would teach him a lesson or two about respecting me. _

_So, I plastered a longing look on my face, humming timidly. "If it pleases you."_

_From the twitch of his cock, my answer clearly pleased him. _

_He grabbed the sides of my hips and covered my lips with his. His tongue was soft, a complete contrast with the aggressive way it invaded my mouth. His grip on me was strong, leaving bruises that sealed his claim over me. His masculine scent, a combination of his natural fragrance, cologne and tobacco, made me tremble with lust despite my anger. The kiss was long, wet, frantic, brutal. And when he finally let me go, his eyes were full of fierce desire that made his pupils blazed in the color of melted gold. _

_My willingness to please him tonight had obviously woken the beast that rarely came into the surface. There was none of his usual control. His movements were completely inhibited, directed more by lust than logic. His touches slightly lost its finesse. Asami was as eager as a little boy who was allowed to get all the candies in the store. And I was the candy that he wanted._

"_Strip."_

_Inwardly, I scowled at the command. But I force myself to obey the order with a smile on my face. I took my tank top off and threw it in the general direction of the TV. He raised his eyebrow at my unusual sloppiness but said nothing. I didn't care. After tonight, I wouldn't be the one who clean the house anymore. Why would the kept-whore do anything that required more effort than looking pretty, right?_

_I rose from his lap and stood in front of him, just long enough to pull down my tiny shorts. Despite my anger at him, my cock was already semi hard. _

"_No underwear, Akihito?" His amusement annoyed me but I endured it. Patience was the key. Revenge was a dish best served cold. I knew tonight would only bring me more embarrassment before it would get better. Before I could punch him in the face. Before I could kick his haughty ass. _

_He pulled me back to him, making me kneeling on the sofa, my legs straddling him. Looking up at me, he slowly spread my ass cheeks apart and slipped a finger into my hole. His grin couldn't get any smugger than when he found me already stretched and lubed; my body was ready for him anytime and anyway he wanted it and the idea thrilled him. _

_He presented his slick digit, the one which had been inside my body just seconds before, in front of my face, mercilessly forcing me to accept the fact that we both knew I had prepared my body like a whore preparing hers before meeting a customer. The clear lube that covered his finger shined under our living room lighting, mocking me in all its glory. "How naughty," he commented with a satisfied smirk on his handsome face._

_I blushed and writhed under his gaze. Warmth spread not only to my face, but also to my chest. If I could, I wanted to just vanish into thin air. My first instinct was to look away, but he took my chin and forced me to look at him in the eyes. _

_Being a cruel power-addict, Asami enjoyed my shyness. The fact that he managed to corner me always aroused him like nothing else. My reluctant submission made him feel powerful and indestructible. And stroking his ego was what I needed to do to lead him to his downfall tonight. If I played my card right, I would be able to strike him where it hurt the most._

_After a long silence, I forced myself to murmur, "Only for you." _

_If his pupil dilated any wider, his eyes would lose all the white color. He growled, producing a low, deep, guttural sound that was strangely inhuman. It sounded like a mix between pain and pleasure. _

"_Mine," he hissed, holding me possessively as if someone would jump out of nowhere and take me away from him._

"_Yours," I sighed, resting my head on his right shoulder. _

_He gave me another kiss. He took his time now, exploring every nook and cranny in my mouth, sucking my tongue and biting my lower lips as he pulled his tongue out before pushing his way back in. Again and again. His hands roamed, mapping my body like a king studying his newly conquered land. And despite my anger, my body instinctively melted into his embrace, yielding to the power of his strong arms. I hooked my legs around his waist. My fingers linked behind his head, pulling him closer to me, silently begging him for more. _

_When he suddenly stood, lifting me with him like a parent carrying a crying child, I yelped in surprise. He laughed, clearly proud for being able to support my weight as if I was nothing but a small, little boy. Old and weak, Asami clearly was not. His strained muscles were hard against my body, announcing his discipline and control over his own body like he had over everything else._

"_Should I fuck you in this position, Akihito?" he asked with a smirk. "We haven't done that in a long time."_

_I moaned as he ground his hips against my pelvis. My own cock was trapped between us. _

"_If it pleases you."_

_I could feel him becoming very still for a heartbeat. That was the second time I had said the phrase tonight and surely he began to notice it. But, I run my hands through his silky hair, messaging his scalp tenderly, distracting him. It wasn't time yet, but this would give him a hint. Slowly, he relaxed again._

_He tilted his head up and I obliged, meeting his lips halfway to start another round of making out. I was actually impressed he didn't even lose his breath after all those kissing while supporting my full weight. I was kind of expecting him to drop me after a minute or so. And yet, with me straddling his hips, he carried me up the stairs, all the way to our bedroom._

_He put me gently on the king-sized bed, nudging so that I lay on my stomach. Knowing what he wanted, I got into all fours, placing a pillow under my stomach, before resting my bare chest on the silky bed sheet. I stretched my arms above my head, holding the steel bedhead for support. My forehead touched the mattress. With my knees spread as wide as humanly possible and my ass up high in the air, I couldn't look more whorish than this._

_His breathing grew faster, impatient. He run his fingers along my spine, leaving a trail of fire on my skin. "So beautiful," he murmured absentmindedly, barely audible, as if the words were meant to be said inside his head instead of out loud. "And all mine." _

_I heard his movements as he got a few items from our drawer. My heart was racing in my ribcage, trying to jump out of my throat. I was as nervous as a virgin on her wedding night. _

_When he came back, he brought a maroon silk rope and after entwining the rope around the new Bvlgari watch a few times for effect, he quickly tied my wrists onto the metal bar of our bedhead. I pulled, testing the strength of the knot, but as usual, he had done it perfectly. It was tight enough to keep me in place, yet not too tight that it would cut my blood circulation._

"_All good?" he checked as he run his fingers through my blond locks, giving enough pressure to remind me of his dominance over my body._

"_Yes," I whispered._

_Leisurely, he moved to kneel behind me. His hands never stopped to caress, leaving a memory of his heated fingers on my chilled naked skin. There was sound of him pouring the lube generously over his cock. It was nice of him, actually, to still prepare even though he knew I had stretched and lubed myself. Obviously, tonight, he wanted me to enjoy this act of debauchery as much as him._

_His cock was ready at the entrance of my hole, rock hard like an iron rod, when he rasped, "Tell me what you want, Akihito. I want to give it to you."_

_Well, it was too late. I was done with him pulling me with one hand and then pushing me with the other. I turned my head to look at him over my shoulder, giving him the most superficial smile I could conjure. "I want whatever that pleases you, Asami-sama."_

_He stilled. "Are we…roleplaying now?" His voice sounded unusually tentative. The amber eyes looked confused and unsure, blinking like someone had just woken him up from a deep slumber. _

"_Roleplaying? Is that what we are doing for years?" My faked sweetness could match Takamiya Suzu's, sarcasm dripping from every word like poison, quickly turning our cocoon of passion into heavy tension. The smirk on his face disappeared, replaced by a deep frown as he tried to understand what was actually going on._

"_I don't understand," he said quietly. "What the hell are you talking about, Akihito?"_

_I laughed like a homicidal maniac who was about to kill his next victim. "Wasn't I your whore, Asami-sama?! Isn't that how people call me? Don't pretend you have no idea what I am talking about!"_

_His flinch was barely noticeable. But it was there. It wasn't enough, though. I wanted him to feel more pain, for his heart to bleed like mine had. I was a bloodthirsty man in a mission to stab him where it would hurt him the most. So, I pushed on._

"_So, you do know that your staffs are calling me 'the boss' whore', huh?" I snickered at his reaction. "Yet, you let them. And why should you correct them? That's what I am: your whore, one who must obey your bloody commands without question! You don't love me! You didn't even bother to show me any respect in front of that Takamiya girl! Why should you, right? You fucking paid for my full service with a Bvlgari watch, that stupid red BMW you gave me last month and all those gifts I have never wanted! Oh, you even bought me three children! 'Akihito wants to play a normal family with kids, so let's go buy him a few!' You think having children is a sort of fucking foreplay, don't you?! Please, Asami-sama, can you buy me a teenage boyfriend next?"_

_The silence that followed was deafening. Asami didn't say anything. In fact, he was as still as a marble statue. My furious breathing was the only sound in the room and it seemed to be as loud and clear as my frantic heartbeats. _

"_Go on," I said with a push of my buttocks against his cock. It was soft by now. His arousal had evaporated into thin air, leaving nothing but a chilled skin barely covered by his pants. "Take what's yours. You spend hundreds of millions of yens for this body. Make it worth your money. Use my body however it pleases you. That's what you do best: fucking whores!" _

_I had anticipated him talking his way out of this. I had anticipated excuses, sweet promises and more half-lies. I had anticipated anger. I had even anticipated violence._

_What I didn't anticipate was the hurt in his eyes. Those golden orbs widened in pure rage before slowly darkened in a futile effort to mask the wound my words had carved deep inside him. The struggle to control his emotion contorted his handsome face. His silent fury was obvious in every twitch and flinch of the muscles around his mouth. Had I stabbed him in the heart and left him to die slowly in the pool of his own blood, he would feel much less pain than when my words of hatred had struck him without mercy. _

_Slowly, he sat on his heels, staring at me as if he was looking at a stranger instead of a man who had been spending the last 15 years with him. A man who raised his kids and took care of his home. A man who made sure that his shirt was crisp from laundry and his meals were warm when he arrived at home. He looked at me with a strange expression that could only be interpreted as 'who is this person that I've slept with for more than a decade?'._

_He opened his mouth as if to say something, then he shut it again. For a while, without a word, he just stayed there. The emptiness between us turned my blood into ice. And when I thought he wouldn't do anything but sitting there, to my surprise, he squeezed his eyes shut. His hands fisted on his thighs, no longer touching me. He clenched his jaw and tilted his head up towards the ceiling, like a man praying for strength._

_It felt like hours, but most likely not more than a second, before he took a deep, long breath to control himself. When he finally opened his eyes again, the pain had disappeared. Not only he looked emotionless, but he also looked detached. As detached as man who hated opera and being forced to watch one. Without looking at me or saying another word, he unfastened the knot around my wrists. It wasn't a loving gesture, more like a clinical action that was done merely to serve its purpose. _

_He got out of the bed, stood, and went into our closet to change his shirt and pants that were rumpled by our passion earlier. Feeling strangely numb, I sat there in the middle of our bed, waiting for the shouting to begin or the apologies to fly. This resigned response started to scare me. I was hoping for any kind of reaction from him. But none was coming._

_Less than five minutes later, he got out of our walk-in closet, wearing his usual three-pieces suit. For some unexplainable reasons, the bespoke suit now lost its charm. It didn't make him look taller or broader. Gone was the sexy Asami Ryuichi. In his place was a man who looked cold and empty. _

_He went out of the bedroom silently and soon, I heard the sound of the front door of our house opening and then closing loudly._

_I swallowed, waiting for the feeling of satisfaction to come, praying for the rush of excitement to spread into my entire being. Hadn't I hurt him as I'd planned? Hadn't I gotten my revenge? Hadn't I gotten my point across? Hadn't I won?_

_None. I felt nothing. _

_Nothing but regret._

_When I finally realised the sheer stupidity of my action, I jumped out of the bed, looking frantically for my phone. I slipped into the first shirt and short that I could get before running all the way downstairs. My fingers were shaking as I pressed the button to call his private number._

_The moment I reached the first floor of our house, my call was connected. Taylor Swift's voice was clear enough, just slightly muffled by the thin metal that covered it. I stomped on the pedal of the trashcan to open the lid._

_At the bottom of the trashcan was Asami's private phone. The limited edition iPhone with real diamonds embedded on its side, a gift from Mizuki for our anniversary months ago, lay on top of various brochures that had once spammed our mailbox, mocking the fear that had grown in me with every passing second. As it rang, the screen displayed the photo of me kissing Asami on the cheek, taken during one of our family trip to Singapore years ago. The name that he used for my number felt like a slap to my face: My Akihito. _

_Stunned, I dropped my own phone, which was the exact twin of the one that was now in the trashcan, to the floor. A sinking feeling filled my gut and I wanted to scream for the stupid ringtone to stop echoing in the now empty house._

"_Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone  
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run  
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess  
It's a love story baby just say yes"_

* * *

"It has been a week since your man left the house and you haven't done anything!?" Reiko-san stared at me in disbelief, something I'd very rarely seen her doing.

The coffee shop where we were sitting now was within walking distance from my studio. It wasn't too crowded during working hour and most patrons were busy with their own things, but from force of habit, I still looked around in case someone had heard her. I always hated the idea of strangers knowing my personal problems. I would only discuss it with a few of my closest and trusted friends. Privacy was very important to me. If I wanted the world to know about my dirty laundry, I would become a celebrity instead so I could at least get properly paid for sharing it to public.

Keeping my own voice as low as possible, I snapped at her, "I don't know what to do."

She snorted, rolling her eyes in exasperation, clearly unimpressed by my restrained annoyance. "What do you mean you don't know what to do?"

"I can't just call him and say sorry!" I nearly shouted in frustration, hoping she would understand and take my side. She was supposed to be my friend, wasn't she? Shouldn't she be more sympathetic?

No. Of course, she wouldn't. In fact, today, she was as ruthless and merciless as an inquisitor torturing her prisoner for answers that he didn't have. She used that stern tone that she often used during meetings, one that clearly implied she would accept no lies and bullshit. "And why can't you?"

"Because-" I started and stopped. For the first time since I'd met her, I found myself in a position where I needed to find an excuse that would pardon my crime. It wasn't a nice feeling and I immediately pitied her team members that had often been the recipients of that deadly glare. "Well, he left his phone behind. How can I contact him now?"

"Oh, please! Cut that nonsense! I am sure the man has a few other phones aside from the private one. Or call his office. Or his secretary. Kirishima-san, isn't it?"

I jumped in my seat when I saw her taking her own phone from her black Balenciaga bag. In a blink, she had unlocked the screen and went through her phonebook.

"I am sure I still have his secretary's phone number from the last time we interviewed him," she mumbled to herself. "We can call him now. Make appointment. Then the two of you can discuss your issue like two fucking adults."

Five years ago, Reiko-san had called me to discuss a photo shoot for an interview with Asami. Apparently, her magazine had chosen my husband as one of the "6 Successful Businessmen You Are Dying to Date" and so, her editorial team had planned 5 full pages featuring Asami.

I couldn't believe Asami would accept an offer to be featured in a lifestyle magazine. It wouldn't matter that its main readers were rich socialites and posh housewives. Whenever possible, especially when it wouldn't give him any profit, Asami avoided the spotlight. He was a man who preferred to work from the shadow, using people as his stupid pawns to do his bidding so that he would never be in the center of attention. I guessed, that way, it would be easier to clean up the mess in case something went wrong.

But obviously, I didn't know him that well. Reiko-san had told me that Asami had agreed to the interview at the very last minute, which was why she had needed my help. She'd had no time for even a single mistake and I was the only photographer she could fully trust with such an important job. "Asami Ryuichi rarely agrees to an interview and this might be the first time he will appear in a lifestyle magazine! I won't let an amateur mess this opportunity up!"

Of course, knowing it would involve Asami, I had refused her right away. There would be no way I could stay calm taking his photos while he was lying through his teeth about having no steady, legitimate partner for the amusement of those high-class ladies. I didn't think I could keep myself from hitting him in the mouth, preferably with my tripod, and then, we would all need to see whether those ladies were still dying to date his toothless self. Personally, I highly doubted that.

Reiko-san couldn't accept my outright refusal and so, after half an hour of begging and pleading for my help as a friend because, I quoted, "it would be a headache to find someone who could do the fucking job like you", I'd hesitantly explained why I couldn't save her ass this time. I'd expected her to be disgusted to know that I was not only gay, but also a sort of a 'mistress' of Asami Ryuichi. To my surprise, she'd listened to my story in silence and then simply nodded with a quiet "I understand." There had been no judgment and I felt thankful for that.

So, she'd asked another photographer to handle Asami's photo shooting. "He isn't as good as you, but he will do, I guess," she'd said when I'd asked her the next day. I'd bought a copy of the magazine, the one with Asami's interview in it, just to see the photos this other photographer had done. It wasn't a bad job, really, but I knew I could do much better. No only I had better techniques, but I'd also spent years with the bastard to know his better angles very well.

The next time Reiko-san and I'd gone drinking after another photo shoot session, she'd confided that she was actually in a relationship with a married businessman. The affair had been going on for nearly 3 years by that time. She knew that her man had no intention to leave his wife and his 2 years old son, moreover to marry her, but she still loved him anyway. "My mother won't ever see me getting married," she'd said with a forced smile before downing her beer in one big gulp. The calm resignation in her voice had made me sad.

Bitching about our twisted romantic relationships was how we had started our close friendship. It was nice to be able to talk with someone who understood how it felt to have a relationship that was far from being acceptable according to the society's standard. Of course, I could always talk to Kou and Takato, but they would never understand it as much as Reiko-san did. No one else could understand how it felt to love someone to the point of willing to do anything, even if it meant that I needed to go against my very own principles. And since then, Reiko-san had been my confidante. It was easy to tell her everything about my relationship with Asami.

Now, however, I just wanted to throttle her.

"No. No. No!" I hissed at her as I tried to snatch her phone away. "You are so not going to call Kirishima or whoever it is you want to call!"

She kept the hand that held her phone away from my reach. "Why not?"

"Because I don't want to talk to him!"

She sighed. "You need to talk to him, Akihito-san. You can't let things hanging like this forever. Not only it affects you, it will also affect your children."

I gritted my teeth and looked away from her. "They are not my children."

"Akihito-san! You can't really mean it! I know you love them more than anything else in the world! You don't have Asami-san's photo anywhere in your office, but there are dozens of photos of your kids there."

I could feel tears pooling at the corner of my eyes, ready to fall down my cheeks anytime soon. I felt helpless and useless. My voice was shaky with frustration when I replied, "They are his. He bought them with his money and the three of them had taken his name. I let him get all the necessary paperwork believing that we will be together until we die. I won't win the children even if I bring this to the court."

Her lips tightened into a thin line. It was a stupid move from me, I knew. I totally had no control in our relationship. The entire situation was just another proof of how Asami wanted to trap me in a golden cage. Like a good pet owner, he had trained me in such a way that I had actually thought that the cage and all the goods in it was my entire world.

"Does that mean that you are going to run away again? This time, not only leaving him, but also leaving your children behind?"

"I didn't say anything about running away!" I said but I couldn't look at her straight in the eyes.

"Well, that's what you are planning to do for the past week, isn't it? That's why you have been skittish. Did you pack already?"

Her straightforward question froze me. I could feel my face turning red as I remembered the travel bag I had taken out from the back of my own closet at home. I'd placed it on the bed and then, I'd spent hours just staring at it, trying to find the courage to actually fill it with my clothes and break my promise to Asami, a promise to never to run away again.

"I can't-" my breath caught as I tried to fight back my tears. "I can't do this anymore."

Slowly, she moved from the chair opposite of me to sit beside me. Her shorter body leaned into mine, lending me strength despite her smaller frame. Humming some soothing sounds that reminded me of how my own mother would console me when I was young, she rubbed my back soothingly.

Her quiet understanding was the final hit that finally broke the ice-cold mask I had wore for the past week. Shame was instantly forgotten, drowned in the wave of regret that was flooding my entire being. Hiding my face behind my forearm, I let my tears fall freely. My body shook violently in despair. My throat burnt with emotion, choking me until I couldn't even breathe properly. And all along, she held my shoulders steadily, providing comfort that I couldn't get from anyone else.

"Shh, it is okay," she said softly. "Everything will be all right."

"No, it isn't o-okay," I fought for control in between my sobs. "I screwed everything up. Now, he hates me and I will lose him and my children."

I had never felt this powerless in my life. This was even worse than when his enemies had kidnapped me. At least, that time, I'd had a glint of hope that Asami would somehow come for me.

Why had I let my insecurity get the better of me? Now, my anger seemed so petty and my revenge was no more than a childish act. Hadn't I known the consequences of living with him from the beginning?

Since the first day, Asami had made it perfectly clear that he was a selfish, arrogant jerk. He was obviously involved in underground dealings and his entire wealth was most probably illegal. He had many enemies and, despite his best effort to protect me, he had never claimed that it wouldn't affect our life. On top of all those faults, he was a control freak, a sex maniac and, in general, a fucking asshole; and, he was completely unapologetic about it. He'd never tried to be someone he wasn't. He'd never promised me an easy life. He'd never said that our life would be normal. If normal was what I truly expected when I'd agreed to marry him, I'd to be the biggest idiot in history.

Yet, I'd chosen to spend the rest of my life with the bastard, knowing all his faults and all the risks. I couldn't blame him now when everything came biting me in the ass.

"You don't know that for sure," she gently chastised me. "He didn't say that he hates you now, did he?"

"He hasn't contacted me for a week, Reiko-san. Even Kirishima and Tao haven't called me."

She sighed. "Okay, forget about what he does or doesn't do for a while. Be honest with me, what do _you_ actually want to do? Do you want to leave or not?"

I hesitated only for a second before taking a deep breath and answering in a much more steady voice, "I know this is crazy, but I love him even when he is such an annoying old bastard. I want to fix this relationship, no matter how twisted it was."

Reiko-san gave me a small smile, nudging my arm in a way that made me smile as well. "Then, you need to stop waiting for him to chase after you. You always complain about having no control in this relationship. Well, if you want to have some control, this is your chance. Go meet him on your own terms and get the answer that you need."

Now that I thought about it, she had a point. Asami had always been the one who chased me all over the place. Despite his own injuries, Asami'd gone to Hong Kong when Feilong had kidnapped me. Then, he'd gone to Russia when the Arbatovs had taken me to blackmail him, an incident that had led me to leave him in the pursuit of a normal life. Two years later, he'd been the one who had taken the first step to rebuild our relationship, even agreeing to share me with Arata. And when I had run away months later, he'd tracked me down to South East Asia. Again and again, over the years we'd been together, Asami'd been the one who did everything he could to keep us together.

And I had accused him of not truly loving me.

Reiko-san patted my shoulder tenderly when I slowly nodded. "There isn't right or wrong here, Akihito-san. Stop overthinking. Just follow your heart. It knows what it wants."

* * *

Tao stood casually with a cup of steaming coffee in his hand, knowing the shadow of the shop buildings would hide him from view. His casual clothes helped him to blend in as he observed Akihito chatting with his friend in the fancy coffee shop across the road. He sipped his own cheap, tasteless coffee, pretending to be one of the dozens commoners there. There weren't too many people in this area at this hour of the day so Tao couldn't get too close to Akihito without drawing attention. Fortunately, Akihito and his friend had taken the seats just beside the transparent window that faced the street.

Soga, the bodyguard that Asami-sama had assigned to watch over Akihito, was standing outside the coffee shop, a few meters away from the main entrance. The bulky man wore simple black t-shirt, denim jeans and a baseball cap. Leaning against the coffee shop wall, Soga did his best to look like he was merely a civilian playing with his phone instead of a man trained to kill watching the street for any possible danger that might harm the boss' lover. Having worked with the man himself for a few times, Tao knew that Soga was good. The man had a loyalty like a guard dog and skills that surpassed most of his peers. But even Soga wasn't good enough to notice Tao's presence whenever Tao spent an hour or two just to watch Akihito from afar.

Absentmindedly, Tao patted the pocket on the inside of his leather jacket. Neatly tucked in his pocket was no less than 10.000 USD in cash and two passports, one with his photo and the other with Akihito's photo, both with fake names. Kirishima-san had passed him the passports a month a go, when they all had started discussing the emergency plan in case something unfortunate were to happen to Asami-sama. Tao's job would be to get Akihito out of the country to Hong Kong. Liu Feilong had prepared a grand estate in a nice yet secluded city in Mainland China for Akihito to reside until the chaos died down. There would be nothing but the best comfort for Asami Ryuichi's husband.

At least, that was the plan until Tao saw the travel bag on the bed in Asami-sama's bedroom.

Since Akihito's rebellious behavior in front of Takamiya Suzu, Tao knew the arguments that followed would be long, tiring, and troublesome. And Tao had been right. The quarrel between his boss and Akihito had been going on for nearly two weeks, a new record even for them, and so far nothing seemed to get better. If anything, things got worse. When last week, Asami-sama had forbid all contact with Akihito until further notice, Tao suspected that this time, some expensive gifts, sweet apology and great sex mightn't be enough to save the relationship. Even the children had started to feel nervous. And the outside world had paid for the boss' sour mood.

To be honest, Tao hadn't thought much about it until a few days ago, when Asami-sama had ordered Tao to get him some fresh clothes from the house. Asami-sama only trusted Tao, Haruka, Suoh-san and Kirishima-san to go into the house. There were guards outside, but no one else other than those four was allowed inside without Asami-sama's presence. With Haruka having to stay with Mizuki-chan at all times and Asami-sama constantly needing Kirishima-san and Suoh-san by his side, the responsibility of fetching things from the house fell on Tao's shoulders.

Since he wasn't allowed to make any contact with Akihito, Tao had waited patiently until he was sure that Akihito would be away for a few hours before using his spare key to go inside. What he found in the master bedroom, however, was a travel bag and some of Akihito's clothes, folded and piled neatly beside it, waiting to be put into the bag. That was when Tao knew that Akihito was planning to run away from Asami-sama. Again.

He had kept the information to himself. Asami-sama would never know if Tao said nothing. His boss wasn't about to come home for another week or so, most probably in an effort to give Akihito some cooling down period. And since Tao was the only possible option to go into the house, no one else could report the existence of that freaking travel bag to Asami-sama.

Tao knew that he didn't have much time, though.

This morning, he had picked up two new illegal passports from his own secret contact; one with his photo and the other with Akihito's photo but both were using fake names that Asami-sama didn't know. Tao had also managed to arrange a few IDs and driving licenses under both names. Another escape route, one that only Tao knew, would be ready at their disposal the moment Akihito decided to leave Asami-sama for good. Tao wouldn't repeat the same mistake he had done 15 years a go. This time, if Akihito wanted an out, Tao would go with him and make sure that Akihito was safe.

Akihito wanted a normal life, something a man like Asami Ryuichi would never be able to provide. Not even if Asami-sama decided to abandon his underground business. Asami-sama had built his vast empire on top of the blood, flesh and death of so many people whose families and friends would happily hunt Asami-sama down like a dog the moment Asami-sama tipped the balance of power, which would certainly happen if Asami-sama ever decided to leave his business without a trusted heir who could hold Sion Group's dominance over the rest of the world. Hell, there would be a bloody massacre if that were to happen. And despite his talent, Rikiya just wasn't ready to control that much power.

Tao, on the other hand, had no such responsibility, not yet, and he would gladly leave everything he had now to give Akihito what he wanted. They could go to a place where Asami-sama had little power. Perhaps, a city in Australia would be nice. As long as they stayed off the grid, Asami-sama would never find them. They could live a normal life, do mundane things and grow old together. Tao had secret accounts all over the world with enough money for them to live comfortably without having to work for the rest of their life. They would be fine.

But, it would be the worst betrayal against Asami-sama, the man who had taught Tao everything that he knew. The man who treated Tao like a son. The man who trusted Tao with his own sons, daughter and lover. The man who patted his back with eyes full of pride every time Tao performed really well. Tao had no ill will towards Asami-sama. He loved the man like his own father. And it hurt him that he might need to cause great pain to the man who had done nothing but nurture him into the man that Tao was now.

His mind wandered to his adopted father. The older Liu always encouraged Tao to start a relationship of his own, introducing him to many pretty boys. The latest one had been during Lunar New Year, when Tao had visited home just to find a beautiful young man with light brown hair and hazel eyes waiting demurely beside his father's chair. "I know whom you want, Son, but that person is a poison that will kill you from the inside. It is the thrill of getting someone whom you can't have that excites you," Liu Feilong had gently warned him. "Take this blonde to your bed and get the poison out of your system. You will feel better."

Tao had refused politely. But deep down inside, he'd fumed. His love for Akihito wasn't something that would just disappear the moment he shoved his cock into another blonde's asshole. If it was that simple, he would have gotten over it a decade a go, when he had fucked a man who had Akihito's unique features in a desperate attempt to forget the man that he loved.

_Father will be so disappointed in me. Will Asami-sama spare father and Baishe if I run away with Akihito?_

Across the street, Akihito was crying against his friend's shoulder. The woman seemed sympathetic. Thankfully, there wasn't anything sensual in the way she hugged Akihito. Otherwise, Tao would make sure to give her a lesson she would never forget. Tao wouldn't stay still to see anyone other than Asami-sama embracing Akihito. And even with Asami-sama, it was still hard for him to watch.

_Even if after all that you just want me as a friend, it is fine. I will make you happy. You will never cry again_, he promised. _I will always choose you over anything else this world can offer; honor, reputation, business, money, power, lovers, and any father figures. All is nothing compared to you._

That was when Tao knew for sure that he could do nothing to stop the feeling he had for his best friend.


End file.
